"I know his agent" - Chris Wilder makes Sheffield United, Shea Charles transfer claim | OneFootball

Blades boss Chris Wilder has provided an update on the Blades’ pursuit of Shea Charles.

Sheffield United boss Chris Wilder has addressed speculation about a move for current Sheffield Wednesday loanee Shea Charles, insisting interest in the 21-year-old isn't "a wind-up", according to The Star.

Charles departed Premier League outfit Southampton in favour of joining the Owls on a loan deal, and the 21-year-old has impressed by starting every league game so far this season under Danny Rohl, while recording one goal and four assists in that time.

Cementing himself as a first team regular in the heart of the midfield at Hillsborough, the youngster has helped push Sheffield Wednesday into promotion contention, but Wednesday are now set to lose their starman, with the Saints likely to activate their recall option.

As per the Star, the Blades are hopeful of bringing in a central midfield player before the deadline, as they have been left light in that area due to a number of key injuries.

Sheffield United recorded interest in Charles over the summer and are monitoring developments to see if Southampton wish to loan the talented youngster out elsewhere during January.

Chris Wilder reacts to Sheffield United interest in Shea Charles

While Sheffield Wednesday remain hopeful that they can keep Shea Charles in blue and white for the remainder of the season, Sheffield United are interested in bringing him back to the Steel City if the opportunity presents itself.

The Saints are reportedly in line to recall Charles if Chelsea opt to recall their loanee Lesley Ugochukwu from St Mary’s, so his future is very much hanging in the balance.

Wilder cited a midfielder as a priority incoming for the remainder of the January transfer window, with Vini Souza and Tom Davies fitness concerns ahead of a midweek trip to Swansea City, while Oli Arblaster suffered a season-ending injury.

Asked about Charles, Wilder said: “It’s the same situation again, we’re looking at position-specific players.

“We know a lot about him, I know his agent really well, he’s a local boy, and have done for 20/30 years. He's got players, other clubs have got players. He's a player we identified in the summer, as we have to because we're all doing their jobs, whether that’s us or Sheffield Wednesday. That wasn't a wind-up, even though I get it and people thought it might have been.

“We've lost Ollie Arblaster, Tom Davies is coming back from injury. Sydie [Peck] is doing outstandingly well, and everyone has seen how much we miss Vini (Souza) when he's not part of the group. So we’re looking for players of quality and pedigree and he was on the list.

"We’ll see where we go in the next week but a combative central midfielder, who can get about the park and break the game up and play, is on our radar. And there are a lot of players who fit that bill.”

Sheffield United should pursue Shea Charles deal if available

Shea Charles has proven in his short Sheffield Wednesday stint that he can be a valuable player at the second tier level.

Mixing hard work with creative vision in the middle of the park, a move to Sheffield United for Charles could see him realise his Premier League ambitions, provided he has a similar impact at Bramall Lane.

The Yorkshire outfit are desperately short in midfield and require depth to overcome a hectic second half of the season to chase down Leeds United and Burnley in the top two spots, so recruiting a player like Charles would go a long way to fixing this crisis.

The signing of Charles is sure to add a more dynamic edge to the Blades midfield and help add a protective layer to the backline, so if a move does become a possibility, Sheffield United should do all they can to get it over the line in order to bolster their promotion hopes.