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Profile

Full nameShea Emmanuel Charles
PositionDefensive midfielder
NationalityNorthern Ireland
Age22
Date of birth5 Nov 2003
BirthplaceManchester
Height189 cm
Shirt number#24
ClubSouthampton
Defensive midfielderalso played DEF
33
Appearances
4
Goals
2
Assists
2234
Minutes

Domestic-league season · Southampton.

Injury-affected season

Missed 14 of Southampton's ~48 games this season through 14 injury absences (hamstring, injury). He still appeared 33 times — a solid return given how little of the season he was available. His rating is judged mainly on the games he was fit to play.

Performance data · by competition

CompetitionAppsGAMinMatch
Championship334222347.06
League Cup3101927.07
FA Cup210437.4

Scout report

Rising starDefensive midfielder

S. Charles is a 22-year-old defensive midfielder at Southampton, rated 74.8 overall by Field Insider's model, ranking 10th of 493 on scout potential in the Championship and 238th of 2874 U-23 players tracked. An emerging talent, he has been a regular starter this season (73% of available minutes). His defensive output reads 3.71 tackles, blocks and interceptions per 90. Below: strengths, watch-points, market-value outlook and the latest transfer news on Charles.

Judged on this season alone, Charles graded 47 — an excellent campaign that ranks top 14% of the 65 defensive midfielders in the Championship, on 4 goals, 2 assists and 3.706 defensive actions per 90.

Year-on-year, that's broadly in line with last season (Season 49 → 47). Over the 4 seasons on record his form has trended upward, peaking in 2024/25.

On long-term talent our Rating reads 75, top 2% of the 65 defensive midfielders in the Championship. At 22 Charles is still climbing toward his ceiling, and a market index of 33.9 reflects that trajectory.

Read the appearance count in context: Charles missed 14 games through injury (hamstring, injury) out of roughly 48 this season. The 33 he did play is a solid return on the time he was fit, and his ratings are weighted toward those games rather than the ones he sat out injured.

From the career report
Read the full career report →

A career still climbing — Charles is at his peak right now, and the curve hasn't flattened.

Peak: 2024/25Trending upBreakout: 2024/25StreakyInjury-hit 2025/26
Current potentialTop 2% defensive midfielders · ChampionshipCurrent seasonTop 14% defensive midfielders · Championship9th-best defensive midfielder in the Championship10th in the Championship · potential1st-highest potential defensive midfielder in the Championship238th-highest potential U-23 tracked
74.8
Ratingi
1st of 65 defensive midfielders
46.5
Seasoni
a solid contributor and squad regular
73%
Minutes
a regular starter
3.71
Def. actions / 90
solid defensive volume

Output in context · Southampton finished 4th of 24 · an upper-table side

3.71
Def. / 90
53
Tackles
31
Interceptions
6
Clean sheets

3.71 tackles, blocks & interceptions per 90 — solid defensive volume, with 6 clean sheets across 33 appearances. Behind an upper-table side (4th of 24) the side controls more games, so the defensive load is lighter — the value sits as much in composure and ball progression as in raw volume. Going forward he chipped in 4 goals and 2 assists — a useful bonus from the back.

Strengths

  • Availability. On the pitch for 73% of available minutes — a dependable presence in the XI.
  • Attacking threat. Chips in from deep: 0.24 goal involvements per 90, useful for a defensive midfielder.
  • Defensive volume. 3.71 tackles, blocks & interceptions per 90 — does the unseen work.
  • Ceiling. High potential at just 22 — room to grow into a bigger role.

Watch points

  • Few red flags. No obvious weaknesses in the current-season profile — consistency is the next test.

Outlook

With a Rating of 74.8, Charles carries the 1st-highest potential of the defensive midfielders in the Championship (top 2%). Defensively he reads as solid defensive volume (3.71 tackles, blocks & interceptions per 90). Approaching peak years; value is still building (price multiplier 1.9×) with the best seasons likely ahead. With this floor already at 22, the ceiling gets tested by a step up in level — one to track.

Generated from Field Insider's rating model · AI-written analysis to follow.