Fulham agree deal to sign Southampton's Shea Charles for £26m
What's the story
Fulham are set to sign midfielder Shea Charles from Southampton in a on 5-year contract. As per The Athletic, deal for the holding midfielder is £26m and could reach £30m with another £4m in performance-related add-ons. The 22-year-old midfielder will undergo his medical examination with Fulham on Monday. Notably, it will make Charles the most expensive Northern Irish footballer in history.
Transfer moves
Fulham's deal for Charles
As mentioned, Fulham's deal for Charles includes an initial fee of £26 million, plus
The Championship club had previously rejected multiple bids from Leeds United, all exceeding £20 million, for the central midfielder.
Earlier this summer, Fulham had already signed striker Gonzalo Garcia and midfielder Cesar Palacios from Real Madrid for a combined fee of €50 million (£42.9 million; $57.4 million).
Career trajectory
Charles joined Southampton from Manchester City
Charles joined Southampton from Manchester City in the summer of 2023.
Since then, he has made 76 appearances for the Championship club, including a loan spell at Sheffield Wednesday in the 2024-25 season.
In the 2025-26 season, he scored six goals and provided two assists in 38 matches as Southampton finished fourth and reached the second tier's playoffs.
Twitter Post
Medical lined up!
🚨 Shea Charles to undergo medical on Monday ahead of completing transfer from Southampton to Fulham on 5yr contract. Deal for 22yo #SaintsFC holding midfielder £26m & could reach £30m if #FFC performance milestones met @TheAthleticFC after @FabrizioRomano https://t.co/BbsxlQoQJJ
— David Ornstein (@David_Ornstein) August 9, 2026