Fulham Seal Club-Record £30m Deal For Northern Ireland Star Shea Charles

Fulham have completed the signing of Southampton midfielder Shea Charles in a deal that could rise to £30 million, making the Northern Ireland international the most expensive footballer from the country in history.

The 22-year-old midfielder has agreed to a five-year contract at Craven Cottage after Fulham committed to an initial £26 million fee, with a further £4 million potentially payable through performance-related add-ons.

According to IREPORTER Online, Charles attracted interest from Leeds United but opted to join Fulham as he seeks to establish himself in the Premier League.

The midfielder began his professional career at Manchester City before moving to Southampton, where his performances earned him recognition at international level with Northern Ireland.

Charles described his move to Fulham as an exciting opportunity and said he was eager to begin the next stage of his Premier League career.

His arrival follows the departure of Serbia international Sasa Lukic, who recently joined Ipswich Town for a reported £9 million fee.

Charles becomes Fulham’s third signing since former Real Madrid coach Alvaro Arbeloa took charge following Marco Silva’s departure to Benfica.

The transfer also sees Charles break the previous record for the highest fee paid for a Northern Irish player. That record had been held by Jamal Lewis, whose transfer from Norwich City to Newcastle United was worth £15 million in 2020.

The new signing is now Fulham’s third-most expensive player, behind Gonzalo Garcia and Kevin, with both transfers reportedly costing around £34 million.

Garcia joined the London club from Real Madrid earlier this month, while Kevin arrived from Shakhtar Donetsk last summer.

Fulham have now completed three signings since Arbeloa’s appointment, with Garcia and Real Madrid midfielder Cesar Palacios also joining the club during the ongoing transfer window.

The Cottagers are continuing their preparations for the new Premier League season, with a trip to Malaga scheduled for Wednesday before a friendly against German side Stuttgart on Saturday, August 15.

Fulham will begin their Premier League campaign at home against Chelsea on Monday, August 24.