Manchester City close to re-signing goalkeeper Pierce Charles

Manchester City are in advanced talks to bring back 20‑year‑old goalkeeper Pierce Charles from Sheffield Wednesday. Charles left City’s academy in 2021, spent two seasons with Wednesday where he made 27 senior appearances and earned caps for Northern Ireland. The club sees him as a replacement for backup keeper James Trafford, who is expected to depart for Newcastle United, creating a gap in City’s goalkeeping depth.

Sheffield Wednesday hold Charles under a contract with one year remaining, giving the player leverage; the club can either retain him, sell now, or face losing him on a free in 2026. Other interested parties include Leeds United, Rangers and Celtic, but City’s familiarity with the player and the prospect of loaning him out for further development make the deal attractive. Negotiations are expected to be concluded before City’s pre‑season tour, with the player likely to sign a new contract and then be loaned out again.