Sheffield Wednesday: Pierce Charles latest could be blessing in disguise as Rangers circle
Sheffield Wednesday may be able to hold on to Pierce Charles due to his recurring injury concerns despite Championship relegation and interest from Rangers and Celtic.
Charles missed out on the Owls’ trip to Middlesbrough on Wednesday night with a knock picked up in their previous league game against Charlton.
He has already spent two separate lengthy spells on the sidelines this season, and looks to be building a reputation of being an injury-prone goalkeeper.
Rangers and Celtic are both reportedly interested in signing the 20-year-old this summer, but his recurring issues must be a concern ahead of the summer.
It remains to be seen if he will play again this season, with Wednesday possibly in line to keep him in League One solely due to his injury issues.
Pierce Charles has missed 35 games this season, Rangers and Celtic must be wary of his issues
Pedersen revealed after the 1-0 loss at Boro that Charles had been knocked in his back against Charlton and so was subsequently ruled out of the midweek clash.
The club remain unsure if he will play again this season, having already missed 34 games this season before this week with two different shoulder injuries.
| Appearances | 17 |
| Clean sheets | 2 |
| Goals conceded | 32 |
| Save percentage | 69.5% |
| Successful pass percentage | 57.7% |
| Assists | 1 |
| Errors led to goal | 0 |
He initially suffered a shoulder issue in August that ruled him out for over 100 days and 24 games for club and country.
Charles then returned to action for around three weeks over the Christmas period before picking up another shoulder problem that sidelined him for over 50 days and another 10 Owls matches.
Both of those injuries could have been put down to pure bad luck, but this latest issue shows a clear pattern forming of consistent problems.
The 20-year-old is a slender keeper who still has some filling out to do, but his quality is clear to see, hence why both Old Firm clubs have remained interested in his services over the last few months.
They may now be questioning whether a move to sign him is worth the risk, given his chequered injury record at such a young age, which could boost Wednesday, as they would surely love to keep him in League One next season.
Wednesday takeover latest also boosts chances of keeping Charles
Wednesday have been in limbo for several months since Dejphon Chansiri’s departure left them in administration and with a 12-point deduction to add on to their earlier six taken off.
David Storch and his Arise consortium have been named as their preferred bidders, but are facing troubles getting a deal over the line due to another points deduction looming next season.
Despite the EFL digging in their heels over the sanction, Keith Wyness has told Football Insider that Storch will not walk away from Wednesday and is still expected to complete the takeover.
His impending arrival should also boost their chances of keeping Charles, as the increased investment would mean his sale is not as important as it might be if they are still in administration.
🏆 Championship Insider Access
Get the full story from across the EFL with our dedicated expert hubs:
Updated 24/7 with expert analysis from across the EFL Championship.