Man City re-sign academy goalkeeper Pierce Charles for up to £10m and loan him to QPR

Manchester City have re-signed goalkeeper Pierce Charles from Sheffield Wednesday on a five-year contract, with the 20-year-old immediately heading to Queens Park Rangers on a season-long loan. City paid an initial £3m for the former academy product, with the fee potentially rising to £10m depending on performance-related thresholds tied to future club success.

Charles originally left City’s academy at 16 to join Sheffield Wednesday, where he worked his way into the first team over the past two seasons and impressed despite a difficult period for the South Yorkshire club. His older brother Shea also came through the City academy, making the return a family milestone as much as a footballing one.

“To be back at Manchester City is a very special and proud moment both for me and my family,” Charles said. “I know first-hand what a special club City is and I am so excited about looking to the future. City take the development of young players very seriously so I know that my loan to QPR will only help me grow and improve as a player too. I’ll now give everything I can for a successful season in the Championship before hopefully returning to Manchester a better goalkeeper.”

Charles becomes City’s third summer signing, following Mathys Detourbet and Elliot Anderson through the door and pushing the club’s summer outlay beyond £140m. Like Detourbet, he will be loaned out immediately rather than integrating into Pep Guardiola’s squad straight away. With Anderson still involved at the World Cup, City are not expected to have any new faces available when pre-season training begins in ten days.