Rangers and West Ham have 'significant' transfer bids for Sheffield Wednesday ace knocked back
Both clubs have seen offers for the highly-rated goalkeeper turfed out - despite the EFL side’s financial crisis
Rangers and West Ham United have reportedly had significant transfer bids for Sheffield Wednesday goalkeeper Pierce Charles rejected by the club’s controversial owner.
The Ibrox side are battling the English Premier League outfit for the eight-capped Northern Ireland international, and the decision to turn down offers from both teams is understood to have left insiders at the cash-strapped EFL Championship club baffled.
Gers head coach Russell Martin has already raided the financially-stricken Owls by securing the services of Djeidi Gassama earlier this summer, with the winger proving an instant hit at Ibrox by netting four goals in the Champions League.
Current Light Blues No.1 Jack Butland has also played a leading role in helping the Govan giants navigate tricky qualifying ties against Panathinaikos and Viktoria Plzen in recent weeks.
But according to The Telegraph, Rangers are still in the market for another shot-stopper and are pushing to sign 20-year-old Charles along with the Hammers.
Rangers transfer pursuit of Pierce Charles not straightforward
It’s claimed that Hillsborough supremo Dejphon Chansiri - who is under intense pressure to sell the South Yorkshire club - has turfed out multiple offers of £1million-plus for the highly-rated keeper, who has two years left on his contract.
Charles has continued to catch the eye for Wednesday despite growing uncertainty surrounding the club’s future. They have struggled to pay first-team players and coaching staff their wages in four out of the last five months.
It remains to be seen whether Rangers or West Ham will submit an improved bid for Charles, who has enjoyed a rapid rise to stardom.
Pierce Charles camp ‘confused’ by Sheffield Wednesday decision
Chansiri’s decision to knock back multi-mullion bids for Charles has left those around Sheffield Wednesday in disbelief.
The Independent claim the player’s representatives have also been left confused following the news, with the funds expected to have gone towards easing their cash flow problems.
Wednesday started the EFL Championship season with only 16 first-team players registered. They lost 2-1 to Leicester City on the opening weekend before knocking out Bolton Wanderers in a League Cup penalty shoot-out following a 3-3 draw on Wednesday night.