Charles’ rise to NI’s most expensive footballerImage source, Getty ImagesImage caption, From coming through at Manchester City’s academy, Shea Charles has become the most expensive Northern Ireland player in historyByAndy GrayBBC Sport NI JournalistPublished1 hour ago”Shea has been so, so impressive during my time working with him. I have never seen anyone better on the ball than this kid.”It was in 2021 that the Northern Ireland youth coach Gerard Lyttle mentioned he had never seen a youngster as comfortable on the ball as Shea Charles.Back then, the teenager was still playing at centre-back and had yet to make a senior appearance for club or country, but he was standing out to his coaches.Five years later, midfielder Charles has become the most expensive Northern Ireland player in history after he completed a £30m transfer from Southampton to Premier League side Fulham.
From coming through at Manchester City, to becoming one of Michael O’Neill’s most important players on the international scene, the 22-year-old has taken the long way round to a top-flight return.
