United targeting midfield gem who dumped Arsenal out of the FA Cup, Wilcox will be key to winning the race – report

Manchester United will need to sign more than one midfielder in the summer, and their top targets include the likes of Elliot Anderson of Nottingham Forest and Newcastle United’s Sandro Tonali. But with the Red Devils also requiring a winger, left-back, and possibly even a centre-back, INEOS are unlikely to be able to pull off the signing of both Premier League stars when the transfer window opens. This is why the co-owners are casting their net far and wide in the hope of unearthing a relatively low-cost option. The Daily Mail have revealed that the 20-time English league champions have identified Southampton’s Shea Charles as a potential option. Shea Charles emerges as low-cost option The 22-year-old’s goal dumped Arsenal out of the FA Cup, and his form for the Saints has seen multiple clubs chasing his signature. Apart from United, Everton, Rangers, two other Premier League clubs, as well as an Italian side are all monitoring the Northern Ireland international. His current market value stands at €12 million, but Southampton are expected to ask for £20 million considering the defensive midfielder’s immense potential. “Everton and Manchester United are among the clubs that are scouting Southampton FA Cup hero Shea Charles. Shea Charles would be a fantastic signing “The 22-year-old came off the bench to score Southampton’s FA Cup quarter-final winner over Arsenal at the weekend and is valued around £20 million by his club. “Rohl, now manager of Rangers, is keen to take Charles again this summer but the Scottish side will not be able to compete financially. Two other Premier League clubs are understood to be monitoring Charles as well as an Italian side.” Shea Charles knows the Premier League, and his athletic style of play combined with his big-game mentality make him the perfect low-cost option, and INEOS should be all over the signing. Jason Wilcox, United’s Director of Football, knows all about the former Manchester City academy graduate from his time at the Etihad. In fact, it was Wilcox who pushed Southampton to sign Shea Charles, and hopefully, he can once again prove to be the decisive factor in the summer. Feature image Leila Coker via Getty Images The Peoples Person has been one of the world’s leading Man United news sites for over a decade. Follow us on Bluesky: @peoplesperson.bsky.social Ayantan Chowdhury After failing to become a professional footballer, Ayantan switched to the next best thing: writing about the greatest football club in the world. He has extensive sports journalism experience, having worked for over 10 years in the Indian sports media industry, writing for the biggest newspapers and websites. Currently an editor at The Peoples Person. You can follow him on X: @ayantanc_25