Leeds United transfer news: Whites given 'green light' to sign £20m Championship midfielder

Leeds United have reportedly moved closer to agreeing a deal for Southampton midfielder Shea Charles.

The 22-year-old is admired massively by those of an Elland Road persuasion, who were supposedly weighing up a £20m bid for the services of the playmaker last week ahead of the summer window.

Leeds are not messing around this summer as they look to mount a top-half finish next season, with Daniel Farke hoping to mould his squad into one which can eventually compete for major trophies.

After a barnstorming campaign in the Premier League, Harry Wilson is set to depart Fulham after five years, with Leeds, Aston Villa and a number of other clubs keen on securing the Welsh wizard.

With a wand of a left foot, the 29-year-old can drift in off the flank and curl the ball into the net with scary precision, making him an enticing option as a free agent for top-flight clubs ahead of the new campaign.

Leeds given green light to sign Charles?

According to TEAMtalk, Leeds are receiving positive signals in their pursuit of Southampton star Charles, who was made it clear that he wants to leave the South Coast club before the new season.

The report claims that the Northern Ireland international has his heart set on a permanent move to Elland Road, returning to Yorkshire after a previous temporary stint at crisis-hit Sheffield Wednesday.

It is understood that Leeds' initial offer of around £20m for Charles was rejected by Southampton, with the Saints looking to maximise their transfer profit after a troublesome few months for the club.

Despite this, the Whites remain hopeful that a deal for the midfielder can be signed, sealed and delivered before the conclusion of the week, given the player's enthusiasm over the potential switch.

Charles could therefore become Leeds' maiden signing of the 2026 summer window, in which Farke's side supposedly want to recruit five or six players to improve the quality of the first-team ranks.

Southampton go marching out

At the end of the Championship season, Southampton went into the playoffs boasting an impressive unbeaten run and as favourites to secure the last remaining spot in the Premier League.

However, after being caught spying on the training sessions of opposition teams across the campaign, the Saints were marched out of the reckoning for promotion, kicked from the playoffs by the EFL.

Southampton will also start next term with a four-point deduction, although it seems like star players Charles and Leo Scienza are not looking to stick around for a game of Championship catch-up.