Southampton green light Leeds to make formal approach for Shea Charles

Leeds United are preparing to make their first formal contact for a key target with Southampton ready to sell their star man this summer.

The Saints are still reeling from the spy-gate which saw them expelled from the Championship’s playoffs and denied their chance at Wembley glory.

Once they recover from the mess of that drama, things might not improve right away, either. After missing out on promotion, those at St Mary’s could yet be facing an exodus of talent – leaving the likes of Leeds to take full advantage.

The Yorkshire club are set to enter their second season back in the Premier League and will be desperate to avoid a serious case of second-season syndrome.

As such, the 49ers are reportedly set to back Daniel Farke with a number of reinforcements, which could see names like Real Betis’ Natan and Lois Openda arrive.

Both would be excellent additions, with the latter particularly similar to the arrival of Noah Okafor last summer, given that he also joined the club as a struggling Serie A striker before stealing plenty of headlines.

Beyond the exciting duo, meanwhile, the Whites have also been handed the go-ahead to sign a Championship star, who could still be destined for the Premier League.

It’s not just La Liga or Serie A talents that Farke has his sights on. According to TeamTalk, Leeds are readying formal contact to sign Shea Charles from Southampton.

The South Coast side have gifted clubs the green light to sign Charles if they match their £20m asking price this summer. That hands Leeds a major boost, as they prepare to take their interest to the next step.

The 22-year-old, himself, hasn’t given his club much choice, either. He’s got just one year left on his current contract and an extension doesn’t look likely to be on the horizon anytime soon. It’s another boost for Leeds, who could even be landing a cut-price deal at £20m.

A move for Charles makes perfect sense when looking at the numbers. Next to Ethan Ampadu, the Northern Ireland midfielder would provide Farke with a formidable foundation to become an established Premier League side.

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