Manchester United aims to sign FA Cup underdog star for £20 million to bolster midfield! Former Manchester City academy product, recently scored winner against Arsenal.

According to British media reports, Manchester United is scouting Shea Charles, the FA Cup hero for Championship side Southampton. The 22-year-old youngster came off the bench over the weekend and scored the decisive 2-1 goal for the "Saints," helping the team upset Arsenal and advance to the FA Cup semifinals.

As a midfielder, Charles joined from Manchester City in 2023 for an initial transfer fee of £11 million. According to estimates by the Daily Mail, his current market value is around £20 million, with both Manchester United and Everton monitoring his situation.

Manchester United holds a significant advantage: when Charles joined Southampton, the club's football director was Jason Wilcox, who now serves as the football director for the Red Devils. Additionally, Wilcox previously worked within Manchester City's youth academy system, while Charles was once the captain of Manchester City's U21 team.

Wilcox brought Charles to Southampton to replace Romeo Lavia, who transferred to Chelsea. Charles started well, but unfortunately, then-manager Russell Martin wanted to change the tactical system and couldn't guarantee him consistent playing time in the Premier League. Charles was loaned to Sheffield Wednesday, where he was named Player of the Year and nominated for Championship Young Player of the Year.

During last summer's transfer window, Rangers manager Danny Röhl attempted to sign Charles, having worked with him during his loan at Sheffield Wednesday. However, the Scottish club couldn't meet the price, so Charles remained at Southampton. This season, he has made 29 appearances, scoring 4 goals and providing 2 assists.

Manchester United will lose veteran Casemiro this summer and needs to recruit more than one new midfielder. One target is a key player, with Sandro Tonali from Newcastle United and Elliot Anderson from Nottingham Forest among the primary options, but their prices approach £100 million, forcing United to consider budget constraints.

If Uruguayan defensive midfielder Ugarte is sold, Manchester United will require more midfield options. Young, affordable players like Charles could be suitable candidates. Italian transfer expert Fabrizio Romano noted: losing Casemiro and Ugarte would leave United with only Kobbie Mainoo, who is set to renew his contract, as the sole defensive midfielder. With the team competing in the Champions League next season, signing a midfielder is 100% certain, and it's highly likely they will bring in two or even three new players!

Overall, Manchester United's midfield recruitment is expected to be very busy this summer. Charles also has several suitors; it is understood that two other Premier League clubs and one Italian club are also monitoring his situation. Charles is a Northern Ireland international and represented his country earlier this month in the European World Cup qualifying playoffs, though the team lost to Italy led by Tonali. Charles also scored against Liverpool in the League Cup earlier this season, attracting scouts' attention.

Former Manchester United chief scout Mick Brown revealed that after engaging with Everton defender Jarrad Branthwaite, United has abandoned plans to sign him due to the English defender's frequent injuries. At United, there are already injury-prone defenders like Lisandro Martinez and Matthijs de Ligt.

Brown stated: "Branthwaite will not leave Everton in the short term. There have been long-standing transfer rumors about him, but after his first injury, I said he still has much to prove. Particularly, he needs to demonstrate he can stay healthy, return to his previous level, and convince everyone he can continue to develop. Especially for a top club like Manchester United, I've heard they have lost interest because he has hardly played this season. United has been monitoring him, but given his limited playing opportunities, they won't act rashly; you cannot predict his form after returning from injury."