Fulham agrees £30m deal for Southampton midfielder Shea Charles

Fulham has reached an agreement to sign Southampton midfielder Shea Charles for a fee of up to £30 million, pending a medical. The 22-year-old will join the club on a five-year deal, becoming the most expensive Northern Irish player in history. Charles, who began his career at Manchester City, opted for Fulham over interest from Leeds United, filling the gap left by Sasa Lukic's transfer to Ipswich Town. This move marks Fulham's third signing since appointing Alvaro Arbeloa as manager following Marco Silva's departure to Benfica. Fulham's preseason schedule includes a match against Stuttgart on August 15 and a Premier League opener against Chelsea on August 24.

• 1:10 PMYahoo Sports — Fulham agree £30m fee for Southampton's Charles
• 1:10 PMBBC Sport — Fulham agree £30m fee for Southampton's Charles