Leeds United urged to make big £15m transfer call on 2024/25 Player of the Season

Former Premier League midfielder Lee Hendrie insists Shea Charles would present a ‘really good addition’ to Leeds United amid recent links to the Southampton star.

Charles was linked with a possible summer move to Elland Road earlier this week, with the Daily Mail suggesting he is ‘admired’ at Leeds. The former Manchester City academy prospect is now back at Southampton, having spent the 2024/25 campaign on loan at Sheffield Wednesday where he played 44 Championship games and won the Owls’ Player of the Season award.

Two seasons of regular football in the Championship have proven Charles to be a quality operator at that level but having won the second-tier title last month, Leeds are looking to make the step up. At just 21-years-old, however, the Northern Ireland international has plenty of room to grow and several former managers have tipped him for the top.

Sky Sports pundit Hendrie believes Charles is ready to make that step up to the Premier League with a club like Leeds, who are already well-stocked in midfield with only one or two additions needed. And the former Aston Villa, Stoke City and Sheffield United man has backed last season’s Championship title winners to make a good fist of staying up.

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“Really good player,” Hendrie told FLW of Charles. “I do like what Leeds have got at the moment, squad-wise and squad depth. And I think adding stuff like the quality of Shea Charles, I just think that yes 100 per cent it could be a really good addition to that Leeds squad. Because I think they are strong contenders to stay up this season, even though it’s been really tough for teams that have been promoted.”

Leeds United transfer latest as midfielder hunt stepped up

Farke is known to want central midfield reinforcements ahead of his side’s Premier League return, as evidenced by news of a recent £22million bid for RC Strasbourg captain Habib Diarra. The YEP reported on interest in the 21-year-old Senegalese international at the beginning of this week, albeit other targets could prove more attainable.

Leeds are also thought to be interested in a possible move for Sean Longstaff, who is seen as more attainable given he is expected to leave Newcastle United this summer. The 27-year-old is into the final year of his St James’ Park contract and previous reports have suggested a deal could be done for somewhere between £10-15m.

Elland Road chiefs will need to get virtually every major decision right this summer if they are to fulfil Hendrie’s prediction of being strong contenders to survive. All of the last six newly-promoted teams have gone straight back down with the trio who pipped Leeds in the 2023/24 campaign - Southampton, Leicester City and Ipswich Town - winning just 12 games between them all year.

To survive, Leeds will have to finish above at least one established top-flight outfit, with some potential issues arising elsewhere. Brentford look set to lose manager Thomas Frank to Tottenham Hotspur while Wolves have already sold Matheus Cunha and Rayan Ait-Nouri, with West Ham also early contenders to struggle if their summer doesn’t go well.