Premier League heavyweights Manchester City have joined the race for Celtic target Pierce Charles.
The goalkeeper is set to leave Sheffield Wednesday this summer after they were relegated to League One after finishing with a negative points total in the Championship.
Celtic and Rangers were reported to be pursuing Charles a month ago, and the Hoops have since been linked with more goalkeepers.
With the retirement of Kasper Schmeichel now confirmed, the need for additional stoppers is clear.
Does the 20-year-old goalkeeper sound exciting to you?
Man City join Celtic and Rangers in race for Pierce Charles
According to talkSPORT’s Alex Crook, Man City are exploring a deal for the 20-year-old.
The appeal of playing for one of the world’s best teams is strong enough, but Charles himself is a born-and-bred Mancunian who used to be in the academy at the Etihad.
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Despite this, Charles is now a full international with ten caps for Northern Ireland, having established himself as first-choice goalkeeper as a teenager.
Shea Charles, also previously linked with Celtic, is the keeper’s older brother and also spent time in the club’s academy.
Charles was handed his senior debut for Wednesday by Rangers boss Danny Rohl. If he is keen to reunite with the German, Celtic could be on the back foot in the race.
Small for a goalkeeper at 6 ft 1 in, Charles has earned plaudits for his ability on the ball. He claimed an excellent assist against Hull City in December.
In total, he has 44 senior appearances, all at either Championship or international level. This is rare for a goalkeeper, for whom first-team opportunities tend to be rare.
In response to reports linking Charles with Rangers, ex-Rangers and Wednesday midfielder Josh Windass said that the goalkeeper is “the best player in the world”.
Jari de Busser, Calum Ward and Nikolas Polster have all been touted as potential goalkeeping reinforcements for the Celts, despite a lack of clarity on the identity of their next permanent manager.
Martin O’Neill is the current favourite for the hotseat, with Robbie Keane and Craig Bellamy the two frontrunners if an alternative is pursued.
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