West Ham and Rangers told to pay £10m for "vital" Sheffield Wednesday "asset" | OneFootball

FLW's Sheffield Wednesday fan pundit believes the club should demand over £10 million for goalkeeper Pierce Charles.

This article is part of Football League World's 'Terrace Talk' series, which provides personal opinions from our FLW Fan Pundits regarding the latest breaking news, teams, players, managers, potential signings and more...

As their off-field problems continue, Sheffield Wednesday could be vulnerable to losing star goalkeeper Pierce Charles before the end of the transfer window.

In an attempt to raise funds to pay the wages of players and staff, Wednesday sold wingers Anthony Musaba and Djeidi Gassama last month for a combined total of just £3 million, and Charles could be the next player to leave the cash-strapped Championship club.

According to journalist Mike McGrath, West Ham United and Rangers have both made bids worth over £1 million for Charles, but as the Owls did not respond to either of those offers, the deals are now believed to be off.

However, it seems there is further interest in Charles, with The Star reporting that overseas clubs are now taking an interest in the Northern Ireland international, and some are said to be willing to loan him back to Hillsborough for the season.

Despite their financial issues, Wednesday are reportedly unwilling to cash in on Charles, who saved two penalties in his side's EFL Cup shoot-out victory at Bolton Wanderers on Tuesday night, and journalist Alan Nixon claims that the club value the 20-year-old at around £8 million.

Sheffield Wednesday reaction given as West Ham and Rangers launch Pierce Charles bids

When asked for his reaction to the bids made for Charles, FLW's Sheffield Wednesday fan pundit Patrick McKenna slammed West Ham and Rangers for tabling what he believes were insulting offers, and he claimed that the Owls should put a price tag of over £10 million on the goalkeeper's head.

"It would seem to me that they have forgotten to put a zero on the end of those bids because they are absolutely derisory offers and in no way match what Pierce Charles is worth," Patrick told FLW.

"You can't really blame them, in a sense, for trying to low ball considering our perilous situation.

"But Pierce Charles is just getting better and better as a player and is really establishing himself as one of the best young goalkeepers in the Championship.

"As everybody knows, he's got absolutely fantastic distribution, and it's the mark of a modern goalkeeper how confident he is with the ball at his feet and the range of his distribution.

"As well, he's kind of been chucked in at the deep end, and he's seeing the benefit of this.

"He's becoming more confident in commanding his box, he's made some very good saves in recent games, and, of course, last night he stepped up to be the hero in the penalty shoot-out.

"We have lost Anthony Musaba and Djeidi Gassama for bids that were too low, but Pierce Charles is the future of the club.

"He'll be a vital asset for us, and when the time comes for him to move on, we should demand £10 million plus, not £1 million plus.

"We should absolutely not answer the phone to bids for £1 million plus."

Sheffield Wednesday facing Pierce Charles dilemma as interest increases

Wednesday may be reluctant to sell Charles this summer, but given their off-field turmoil, it is fair to say they are not in the strongest negotiating position.

Selling Charles could provide the Owls with vital funds to meet their financial obligations over the coming months, but supporters would no doubt be furious to see owner Dejphon Chansiri cash in on another of the club's prized assets for a cut-price fee.

As Charles' reputation is growing with every game, Wednesday should resist the temptation to sell him before the end of the window, particularly as it would be hard for them to find a replacement of similar quality, and his valuation will likely be significantly higher next summer after he gets a full season of Championship football under his belt.