Danny Röhl wants a reunion. That much is clear.
The Rangers manager worked with Shea Charles during his loan spell at Sheffield Wednesday and clearly liked what he saw.
Now, with Southampton in chaos following spygate, Röhl is reportedly pushing to bring the Northern Ireland international to Glasgow.
It is a flattering show of interest. It is also the wrong move for a player of Charles' quality.
A player transformed under Röhl
The relationship between Charles and Röhl is worth acknowledging. Sheffield Wednesday gave Charles something he badly needed at the time. Regular football, responsibility as a holding midfielder and a manager who trusted him.
Charles made 43 Championship appearances for Wednesday during his loan spell, scoring once and providing five assists. The headline numbers were steady rather than spectacular, but the development underneath them was clear.
He came back to Southampton a different player. More confident, more assured and far more effective in the Championship.
Here is how his stats compare across his two spells at Southampton:
Season | Club | Apps | Goals | Assists |
|---|---|---|---|---|
2023-24 | Southampton | 33 | 0 | 0 |
2024-25 | Sheffield Wed | 43 | 1 | 5 |
2025-26 | Southampton | 33 | 4 | 2 |
The jump from zero goals and zero assists in his first Southampton season to four goals and two assists this term tells its own story. He scored four Championship goals in 2025-26, including a spectacular long-range effort against Oxford United, two semi-final 'winners', and the winning goal against Leicester City to complete the mother of all comebacks.
In addition, Charles provided two assists across 33 appearances, accumulating over 2,200 minutes of playing time.
That loan spell under Röhl laid the foundation for everything that followed.
Scotland is not the destination his talent deserves
Rangers are a big club. Nobody is disputing that. But the Scottish Premiership is not the stage a player valued at around £20million should be performing on at 22 years of age.
Celtic won the title in dramatic circumstances this season. Rangers finished 10 points behind them, losing four games in a row during the run-in. Röhl is rebuilding. That is an admirable project, but it does not serve Shea Charles.
Northern Ireland manager Michael O'Neill has described Charles as outstanding and has been clear that he believes the midfielder can play at a higher level. A move to Glasgow does not represent that higher level.
Manchester United are reportedly in the race. That is a more credible destination, even if game time might be harder to come by. Other top English clubs will not be far behind.
Charles is a defensive midfielder who wins duels, reads the game and contributes in both boxes. Southampton value him higher than the market valuation, more in the region of £30million, and that figure is likely to rise with every passing week of interest.
Röhl deserves credit for helping shape this player. But the best way Charles can repay that debt is by fulfilling his potential at the very highest level.
That level is in England. Not Scotland.
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