Another former City Football Academy product could be heading back to the Etihad
Manchester City are putting the finishing touches to a deal that will bring Sheffield Wednesday goalkeeper Pierce Charles back to the club. The Northern Ireland international, now 20, originally came through the CFA before moving to Hillsborough in 2021 in search of first-team football.
City's move for Charles comes as current backup James Trafford attracts serious interest from Premier League sides Newcastle United and Tottenham Hotspur. The club have moved quickly to identify a replacement.
According to Joe Crann, the agreement will see Sheffield Wednesday guaranteed £3 million, with confidence at Hillsborough that add-ons will push the total to at least £5 million. The full value could exceed £10 million depending on other clauses in the deal.
Charles had a difficult 2025/26 campaign with Wednesday, who were relegated to League One, but he emerged as one of the few positives. He has established himself as Northern Ireland's starting goalkeeper, earning 12 senior caps, and his short-passing metrics are said to fit Enzo Maresca's system well.
A loan move is expected to follow the transfer, with City prioritising a Championship destination. The thinking is straightforward: sitting behind Gianluigi Donnarumma on the City bench would do little for a young keeper's development at this stage.
Preliminary discussions with ambitious Championship clubs may already be happening, with City's loan department looking for a destination that mirrors Maresca's high-pressing, playing-out-from-the-back approach.
Both clubs are keen to get the paperwork completed over the coming days, with City's first-team due back for pre-season on July 20. That would give Charles time to settle before the domestic season kicks off in August.