Shea Charles shrugs off £30m record tag after Fulham switch

Shea Charles is not letting a £30 million price tag weigh him down.

The 22-year-old became Northern Ireland's most expensive footballer ever when he joined Fulham from Southampton in the summer. He called the record "quite crazy" and told BBC Sport NI's Stephen Watson that he does not think about the fee too much, BBC Sport reported.

He just wants to play. Fulham have given him that chance straight away.

The midfielder, the link between defence and attack, has appeared in all five of Fulham's Premier League games this season. He has started three of them, including draws against Liverpool and Manchester United.

Results have been hard to come by. Fulham sat 19th at the time of the interview, with two draws and three defeats from those five matches.

The deal was reported as £26 million up front plus £4 million in performance-related add-ons to reach the £30 million total. Fulham announced the signing for an undisclosed fee in August and confirmed a five-year contract at Craven Cottage, the club's home ground by the Thames. The club described Charles as a versatile 22-year-old, Fulham FC said.

International football is familiar territory for him. He has won 35 caps, or senior international appearances, for Northern Ireland since his debut in June 2022. He qualifies through his mother.

Football runs in the family. His brother Pierce Charles is a goalkeeper on loan at Queens Park Rangers from Manchester City and is also in the Northern Ireland squad.

The next test is the Nations League, Europe's international competition played between major tournaments. Northern Ireland are due to face Georgia home and away, plus Hungary and Ukraine, in the coming weeks.

What makes this stand out is the calm around the fee. For fans, this means a young player judged on tackles and passes, not pounds. If Fulham climb the table, that £30 million tag will feel a lot lighter.