- Rangers linked with move for Pierce Charles as Danny Rohl targets ball-playing goalkeeper.
- Charles praised for elite distribution, with some viewing him as long-term Butland upgrade.
- Transfer fee could be reduced despite Premier League interest due to Sheffield Wednesday situation.
Rangers have been linked with a move for Sheffield Wednesday goalkeeper Pierce Charles in recent days.
Rohl has stuck with incumbent number one Jack Butland since his arrival at Ibrox in October.
However, his preferred style of play points towards a goalkeeper more comfortable in possession.
Why Pierce Charles could be Rohl’s ball-playing solution
Sheffield Wednesday podcaster Matt Johnson believes Charles fits that profile perfectly.
“He is a very modern ball-playing goalkeeper, arguably one of the best in England outside the top flight,” he said.
“Pound for pound, you’re hard pushed to find a better ball-playing keeper outside the top division. He is that good with the ball at his feet.
“Short passing, long sprayed balls, zipped passes to break the lines, he can do it all.”
Johnson even claimed Charles’ “distribution is better than some midfielders” he has seen at Hillsborough, a stark contrast to Butland.
Shot stopper or sweeper keeper?
While Butland remains an excellent shot-stopper and has earned Rangers valuable points this season, his distribution has come under scrutiny.
In a recent Old Firm clash, he repeatedly opted to go long under pressure, inviting Celtic back onto the attack.
That ultimately contributed to a two-goal comeback in a Premiership draw.
Wednesday Word’ journalist Joe Crann has talked up Charles’ shot-stopping abilities as well.
“Because he’s so good with the ball at his feet, it’s almost overshadowed.
“He is actually a very good goalkeeper as well. He’s a lot better at shot-stopping people realise.”
Bidding war
Rangers are unlikely to have a free run at Charles, however.
“Liverpool were linked with him and a move to West Ham fell through in the summer due to the ownership situation,” Johnson told Read Rangers.
Despite that interest, Johnson believes a move to Ibrox would be a logical next step.
“The kid’s a special talent and Rangers is the logical next step.
“He is an upgrade on Butland long-term and the pressure of being number one wouldn’t faze him.”
That said, he acknowledges there are areas for concern.
“His downside is his height, he’s under 6-foot. and that always worries fans.”
The cost for Charles
Financially, a deal could prove attractive.
“If we weren’t in the situation, we are, you’re talking £6 million.
“Realistically, you could probably get him for between £1 million and £2.5 million.”
Crann said the fee would be significantly lower than his true value but that reported “six-figure” offers would be well below the acceptable range for the stopper.
Read Rangers analysis
On paper, Charles’ statistics may raise eyebrows.
Sheffield Wednesday have already been relegated, and the 20-year-old has managed just one clean sheet in 13 Championship appearances, conceding 28 goals, more than two per game.
However, Johnson insists context is key.
He explained: “He’s had about 15 different defenders in front of him. He’s been facing a volume of shots that are near impossible to stop.”
By comparison, Butland has kept 12 clean sheets in 31 matches this season, conceding 26 goals, fewer than one per game on average.
He also boasts a perfect penalty record in the Premiership, saving four out of four faced. Charles, meanwhile, has failed to save the only spot-kick he has faced this season.
Durability is another factor.
Butland has been ever-present for Rangers, while Charles has dealt with multiple injuries during his young career.
Johnson attributes that largely to poor preparation conditions.
“It’s been a mix of bad luck and the fact we didn’t have a proper pre-season,” he revealed.
“We had two weeks of training, no games, and for a goalkeeper, that’s crucial.”
Crann has said that these injuries are the only thing that have held the keeper back from playing every game for the Owls.
“It was decided that Pierce was going to be Danny’s number one last season,” he explained.
“The plan was always for him to be number one this year. Pierce came in, started well, and then he picked up a nasty shoulder injury that needed surgery.
“He was out for a little while with that. He came back, I think he had two games, three games, and then he did the other shoulder – just freak stuff.”
Tipped for the top
Rohl himself has spoken highly of Charles during his time at Hillsborough.
He said: “We have our own goalkeeper with Pierce, who has worked very hard. He is now number one for his national team and has improved a lot.”
Crann backed this up, saying both Rohl and Gers’ goalie coach Sal Bibbo were big fans.
“Rohl knows all about what Pierse is about and the goalkeeper coach over at Rangers worked with Pierce very closely as well,” he said.
“He knows probably more so than Rohl actually what Pierce is capable of and how good he is.”
“He’s the best player in the world.
“If he doesn’t play for Barcelona, Juventus or Bayern, I’ll be flabbergasted.”
