Sheffield Wednesday have set their sights on Stevenage goalkeeper Filip Marschall should current number one Pierce Charles depart this summer.
The Owls are gearing up for life in League One after suffering relegation from the Championship last season. After years of neglect under previous owner Dejphon Chansiri, there is a fresh optimism around Hillsborough and it already looks set to be a busy summer in the transfer market.
Whilst a number of incomings are expected, interest has arisen in recent weeks in young shot stopper Charles. The 20-year-old has firmly established himself as first choice for the South Yorkshire club, whilst also nailing down a starting berth with Northern Ireland.
This has led to speculation that a number of clubs are clamouring for the youngster’s signature, including Manchester City, Leeds United and Rangers.
Wednesday Start Drawing Up Options
With the rumours continuing to swirl around Charles, it’s no surprise that Wednesday have started to cast their eye over potential replacements. According to journalist Alan Nixon, Stevenage standout Filip Marschall tops that list after an impressive debut campaign at the Lamax Stadium.
The 23-year-old joined the League One outfit a year ago from Aston Villa. He made 45 appearances for Alex Revell’s side, helping them secure a place in the play-offs. His 19 clean sheets also saw the young goalkeeper pick up the League One Golden Glove award, which he shared with Lincoln City’s George Wickens.
It is claimed that Marschall has been identified as the ideal candidate to take the number one spot at Hillsborough if they lose Charles, although Stevenage would demand ‘a chunky fee’. There is also competition from abroad, with an unnamed second tier German side also interested.
Is This Move Likely?
There are a lot of moving parts that need to fall into place for this deal to happen. Firstly, it would require Pierce Charles to exit the club and with the youngster in the early stages of his career, that might not be the best option at this stage.
The former Manchester City academy prospect will no doubt gain regular first team football is he decides to stay put. League One is a highly competitive division which will certainly aid his development, and he is still young enough that a big move could follow in the coming years. Moving to a club like Leeds or City would see him become a backup and his on-field minutes diminish, and it is that which is likely to play a major part in any decision.
Should he depart though, Marschall would be a quality replacement. The former Crewe Alexandra loanee showed all the signs that he is capable of playing at a much higher level last season and it’s no surprise that he has started to attract attention from elsewhere.
Stevenage would likely struggle to keep their number one should Sheffield Wednesday come knocking, even though they will be playing in the same division. The four-time English champions will harbour ambitions of moving back up the football pyramid in what is seen as a new era.
Still, Boro are protected and won’t turn down a decent fee.
