Huge praise for Sheffield Wednesday starlet – but talented Owl dealt international blow
Charles, a highly-rated young goalkeeper for club and country, missed out on Wednesday’s trip to Germany and Austria as he turned out for Northern Ireland as they host the U19 Euros this year, but defeat on Sunday night means that their tournament is now over.
The stopper, who turned 19 this weekend, has played every minute of his nation’s tournament, however was unable to stop them falling to 2-0 defeat to Norway over the weekend, a result that saw them knockout of the competition in the group stages.
It wasn’t a tournament to remember for anyone in the NI setup, however Charles has come in for credit from his manager, Gareth McAuley, who believes that he’s got a future in the senior setup at international level.
“I’ve been with him for a few years and, right from the start, I have been trying to put him forward,” he told the media. “He’s one of the players who can make a massive difference to our football for years to come. If you want to play expansive football and control possession, he’s the man for the job.
“He’s had a sniff of the senior team over June, and I’m disappointed he didn’t get minutes – I thought he might have got minutes in one of the games, and I’m disappointed for him, but he knows it’s not far away, I’ve been saying that to him for a long time. It’s great he got the opportunity to experience that.”
Wednesday have a few days in Germany and Austria as they prepare for the 2024/25 Championship season, and with Charles’s side now out of the U19 Euros it may be that he jets out to their base outside of Munich in the coming days.
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Blackburn Rovers ‘hoping’ to recruit former Leeds United, Sheffield Wednesday and Middlesbrough man
A product of Chelsea’s academy, Baker found himself trapped in the loan system as he was sent out repeatedly without being given opportunities at Stamford Bridge.
Three of his loan stints were in Yorkshire, as he first joined Wednesday before later representing Middlesbrough and Leeds. He finally left Chelsea in 2022, sealing a permanent move to Stoke City.
He has since amassed 90 appearances for the Potters and struck 19 goals, although reports in January suggested the club were open to offers for him. Baker was in and out of the Stoke starting XI last term after recovering from a serious knee injury.
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According to reporter Alan Nixon on his Patreon page, Rovers boss John Eustace is a big admirer of the former England youth international. It is thought Eustace would love to have Baker on board if the funds can be raised, while the club could potentially be open to a swap deal.
Baker is renowned for his technical prowess and could potentially bring some calm to the Rovers midfield. As a set-piece specialist, he could also add plenty of goals and assists.
During his time at Chelsea, the midfielder had mixed fortunes across his loan spells. While he shone for the likes of Milton Keynes Dons and Vitesse, he found opportunities limited at Leeds and slid down the pecking order at Middlesbrough.
