How much Man City could earn as Leeds submit new Shea Charles bid
Manchester City are bound to be on alert as Shea Charles' future takes a new twist at Southampton this summer.
The 22-year-old is one of several players expected to depart after the Saints missed out on promotion to the Premier League.
Spygate has added yet another controversial angle to the situation, with players massively disappointed by the club's actions during the play-offs.
Charles is one of the most valuable figures in the current squad, with Leeds United now upping their most recent bid to £23million plus add-ons.
Football Insider understands that the Championship outfit value him much closer to £30m. Leeds are hoping to reach a compromise, though.
Understandably, Man City will be hoping for a move to go through, and Football Insider has taken a look at how much the Citizens might earn.
Man City to finally cash in on Shea Charles
It is believed that Enzo Maresca's side included a 15 per cent sell-on clause in Charles' contract when he joined Southampton back in July 2023.
Three years on and Man City could be about to reap the rewards of that clause, especially if the Saints can push the price up to £30m this summer.
Were Leeds to splash £30m on the Northern Ireland international's signature, City would earn a nice £4.5m on the 22-year-old.
Compared to the business that Maresca's side are set to do over the coming weeks, that money will be just a drop in the ocean, but these little fees can build up and make all the difference.
Multiple academy stars have helped finance some of City's biggest signings over the last few years, and that's unlikely to stop anytime soon.
Man City's academy continues to produce cashflow
Two of the most recent exits are James McAtee and Oscar Bobb, both leaving for £25m and £27m, respectively, in the last couple of windows.
Cole Palmer's £40m move to Chelsea is one of, if not the, most expensive academy sales, followed by the likes of Romeo Lavia, James Trafford and Taylor Harwood-Bellis.
Some of these players could go on to make huge moves across Europe, and if their contracts are anything like Charles, they could continue to bring money in.
City already got a sell-on fee when Lavia joined Chelsea back in 2023, showing how the Citizens continue to do some very smart trading behind the scenes.