Rangers Weighing Up Move For This Championship Teenager: Why They Must Bolster Themselves In This Area | OneFootball

If a recent report from The Daily Record is believed to be true, Rangers are exploring the option of bringing Pierce Charles to Ibrox. They were chasing a loan move for Brighton & Hove Albion youngster Carl Rushworth, but have now shifted their focus to the Sheffield Wednesday goalkeeper, who could reunite with Djeidi Gassama north of the border.

The 19-year-old Northern Ireland international progressed through the academy ranks of Manchester United before plying his trade to Hillsborough in 2021. After spending a couple of years with the reserves, Charles was promoted to the first-team picture as the third-choice custodian behind Cameron Dawson and James Beadle.

He played a couple of Cup games during the 2023-24 season, and eventually replaced the latter to claim the ‘number 1’ role in the league towards the closure of the previous campaign.

COVENTRY, ENGLAND – JANUARY 11: Goalkeeper Pierce Charles of Sheffield Wednesday during the Emirates FA Cup Third Round match between Coventry City and Sheffield Wednesday at The Coventry Building Society Arena on January 11, 2025, in Coventry, England. (Photo by Eddie Keogh/Getty Images)

Rangers, on paper, are well-equipped between the sticks with Jack Butland and Liam Kelly challenging each other for the first-team spot. However, a few high-profile errors led to Butland losing his starting status under Barry Ferguson. The interim Gers chief dropped him earlier this year, but a fresh start under Russell Martin might see him earn one final opportunity to impress, regardless of further reinforcements in the last line of defence.

Why Rangers Must Tie Down The Youngster

Despite being impressed by the Englishman’s performance in the pre-season camp, Martin never ruled out the possibility of snapping up another goalkeeper.

Sheffield Wednesday secured a mid-table finish in the Championship but are struggling to retain their star names amid the ongoing financial crisis. They could not pay their players and staff on three occasions over the last four months, and the cash-strapped Owls have already been raided once by the Light Blues when they roped in Gassama for £2.2m to bolster the attack. The Glasgow giants are also in the mix for Josh Windass, the veteran Wednesday star who enjoyed a brief stint at Ibrox early in his career.

Although Charles won’t start games immediately, his arrival could result in the exit of either of their two experienced keepers. The Gers must consider such a market opportunity and sign the Irish prodigy to resolve their goalkeeper conundrum for years to come.