Southampton look as if they’ll miss out on an ideal Shea Charles successor

Fulham has now entered the race for Shea Charles this summer.

Indeed, it has been reported on that the Cottagers, who enter into the new Premier League season with a top-flight novice in charge in Alvaro Arbeloa, have now bid £24m to try and tempt the Southampton star to West London.

Tonda Eckert and Co. have rejected this brand-new advance, with Leeds United also brushed to one side previously as another interested party in the Northern Ireland international.

Fulham will surely come back in for the ex-Manchester City youngster, with the Saints' resolve tested if an improved bid is placed on the table.

If £25m or more is put forward, Southampton will consider getting rid of their star asset, you imagine, with both Caspar Jander and Flynn Downes still at Eckert's disposal who can fill the Charles void if necessary.

An ideal Charles successor also remains available on the market, with the Saints perhaps regretting their inaction about signing the ace in question, if the one-time Sheffield Wednesday loanee departs, as he remains on Cardiff City's radar.

The player who could be an ideal Charles successor

Indeed, the latest report involving Jens Hjerto-Dahl indicates that the breakout Tromso sensation is still considering a move to Wales.

As per Sky Sports reporter Lyall Thomas, the newly promoted Bluebirds are willing to cough up a hefty £7.8m to try and win the Norwegian battler's services, with the 20-year-old also on the shopping list of Rangers.

Southampton had been tentatively tipped to make a move for the Eliteserien machine back in June, but this link has since cold.

If Charles does leave, and Dahl moves to Cardiff, Southampton could be plagued with regret that they didn't chase after his services with more conviction, as he's very similar in approach to his £24m-rated counterpart.

Why he would be an sensible Charles replacement

Charles has been on a wide array of Premier League shopping lists this summer as he sticks out as a very well-rounded performer who shouldn't be fazed by the bright lights of the top division.

Indeed, last campaign, the Manchester-born scrapper would power home six goals as a dependable source of vital goals, with Charles even scoring the all-important winner in the playoff semi-final second leg against Middlesbrough, before their playoff expulsion came to light.

Dahl has developed a similar knack for scoring key goals for Tromso, as the Scandinavian star has popped up with a weighty seven goals from 14 games during the unfolding Eliteserien campaign, which includes this long-range screamer handing Jorgen Vik's men a 2-0 lead earlier this month.

He also has the same fight and bite that's built into Charles' varied game, with 4.4 duels won on average per league game, alongside 5.1 ball recoveries being valiantly won on average.

The much-talked-about Saints number 24 has 4.7 duels and 4.4 ball recoveries next to his name, in contrast, with both players sticking out as being very similar with their approaches from the middle of the park.

If Southampton were to go back in for Dahl, he would surely be intrigued by the prospect of joining, looking at how the aforementioned Jander has seamlessly managed to fit in, as another promising midfield gem.

This potential move accelerating back into motion doesn't look likely, though, as Cardiff and Rangers have a straight shootout for the Nordic engine on their plate, while the Saints try to hold onto Charles.

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