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 JournalistPublished14 minutes 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 when Gerard Lyttle mentioned he had never seen a youngster as comfortable on the ball as Shea Charles. Back then, the teenager who was still playing at centre-back had yet to make a senior appearance for club or county, but was already standing out to his coaches.Five years later, the midfielder 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. Unexpected chance and learning from RodriFrom when he joined Manchester City’s academy as a seven-year-old, Charles’ potential was clear and he quickly progressed through the ranks.His breakout year came in the 2021-22 season, when he helped City win the Premier League 2 title as an 18-year-old playing alongside the likes of Cole Palmer, Morgan Rogers and Nico O’Reilly.Later that year, he was handed a first Northern Ireland call-up for June’s Nations League window, and he made his international debut as a late substitute against Greece before he had even made a senior appearance at club level.It was somewhat unexpected given his lack of experience, but it showcased the belief that then manager Ian Baraclough showed in Charles.”I hope I can just push on from here and get more caps. It was a great feeling to make my debut,” he mentioned at the time.”I didn’t expect to be playing in this game but I will take every chance as it comes.”Charles has certainly done that, establishing himself as a key player for Michael O’Neill, who returned as manager later in 2022 to replace Baraclough.In fact, he has only missed three matches since then. One was for a suspension following a red card against Slovenia, while his absence with a hamstring injury was notable in the closing World Cup qualifiers with Slovakia and Luxembourg in November last year.Image source, Getty ImagesImage caption, Shea Charles is the subject of two of the three biggest transfer fees ever paid for a Northern Ireland internationalFor Lyttle, who worked with Charles at underage level with Northern Ireland, there was never any doubting his potential.”Honestly, he is so calm, I actually haven’t seen him get out of second gear yet and that is no joke – there is even more in him,” Lyttle added in his 2021 interview with BBC Sport.
“He plays with such a calmness, sees a pass, breaks lines, is technically very good, can hit long and short and can compete physically. He is just a proper ball-playing centre-back and a real good kid as well.
“As he goes up the levels he needs to keep progressing, but from what I’ve seen of young Shea he definitely has all the attributes.”
It helped that he was learning from some of the best in the world. At Manchester City he had been training with the likes of Rodri and Fernandinho and was finally handed a Premier League chance in May 2023 by which stage he already had six international caps under his belt.
Pep Guardiola’s side had already wrapped up the Premier League title, and Charles made his City debut as a second-half substitute against Brentford on the final day of the season.
“When we train with the first team the standard is so high and we are always learning, every day,” Charles mentioned in 2022.
“With the likes of Rodri and Fernandinho, it is tough but enjoyable.”
