Jude Bellingham comparisons & treading similar path to Morgan Rogers! Do Southampton have another superstar on their hands in Arsenal giant-killer Shea Charles?

All-action midfielder Charles is a product of Manchester City’s academy system - making one Premier League appearance for them against Brentford in May 2023. A matter of weeks after that outing was enjoyed, a four-year contract was signed when swapping the North West for the South Coast.

The Lancashire native helped Southampton to promotion in his debut campaign, but was loaned out to Sheffield Wednesday - alongside brother Pierce - for the 2024-25 season. More vital experience was acquired there, while picking up the Owls’ Player of the Year award, allowing him to rejoin the Saints’ ranks when they returned to the Championship.

He has figured in all 43 of Southampton’s second-tier fixtures this term, while also making an important contribution to their run through to the FA Cup semi-finals - netting a memorable winner against Premier League leaders Arsenal in the last-eight.

Charles is now readying himself for a reunion with City, as Southampton’s official training kit partner prepare to send lucky fans to Wembley on the Midnite Express, and Long has told GOAL ahead of that game of the potential boasted by a 22-year-old that already has 32 senior international caps to his name: “Some of his goals have been incredible. A good friend of mine, Steven Davis, he's involved with the national team at Northern Ireland and he keeps telling me how good a player he is and the potential he has.

“It's nice to see these players come out from the bigger clubs and continue to work hard and earn everything they get. I think a lot of players you'd see come in and think they're better than that level, but he's really digging in, showing his qualities. If he keeps doing what he's doing, we'll do well to keep hold of him.

“I think there's a few other players in the Saints team that are ex-City. I think [Samuel] Edozie was there as well. [Taylor] Harwood Bellis was there. They'll all have a point to prove. It's nice to face up against some of those superstars that you used to play with.”

Aston Villa star Rogers, who appears to be World Cup-bound with England, left City to use Middlesbrough as a stepping stone back to the big time. Charles could emulate a man that he knows well.

His languid playing style has already been likened to that of Real Madrid ‘Galactico’ Bellingham, while it could be argued that Arsenal great Patrick Vieira is another role model - with there similarities to be drawn between Charles and the World Cup-winning Frenchman when it comes to their physical attributes and ability to drive through the middle of the park.

Long added: “It's hard to compare him to someone like that who's done it for 20 years in the Premier League. It is tough with Jude as well, the level that he has got to.

“I'm sure Shea won't be thinking like that. He's just going to be improving his game, trying to be the best player he can be. You can tell he's a professional man as well. He looks after himself. He works hard and he does everything. When people aren't looking, that's the important stuff in football - when you're alone, you're eating away, when you're in the gym.

“He’s doing those extra bits so that when he comes on to the pitch, he's fully prepared and he's got a good mentality. The future looks bright for him, but the future looks bright for a lot of players on this team.”

Romeo Lavia is another player that has passed through City and Southampton, with the Belgian earning a £50 million-plus ($68m) move to Chelsea in 2023. Quizzed on whether Charles has even more strings to his midfield bow, Long said: “I think so. Like I said, he's a quality player. You've got to keep wanting it. You've got to keep working on what he's doing.

“There's a lot of players that have come through Southampton that have gone on to bigger and better things. You look at Sadio Mane, Virgil van Dijk, everyone that's come through, Luke Shaw, they've all been given the opportunity to play and show what they can do. It's a great schooling for younger players coming through.

“They've all pushed on to bigger and better things, so hopefully that's the path again for Shea as well. But at the moment, I want them to focus on Southampton and beating City.”

That will be no easy task, with City - who have already lifted the Carabao Cup this season - setting their sights on top spot in the Premier League table before facing the Saints at Wembley Stadium.

Southampton have, however, been in impressive form themselves - rising to fourth in the Championship standings, with automatic promotion still up for grabs - and have grown accustomed to bossing games while brimming with confidence.

Asked if playing under the weight of expectation every week will stand Tonda Eckert’s side in good stead as they prepare to fill the role of underdogs again, Long - who made 198 Premier League appearances for the Saints across eight years of his playing career - said: “The form in the Championship has been unbelievable. I think it's 18 games unbeaten, maybe 19 after Swansea at the weekend.

“It goes a long way in football because I've been in a team where we've been flying all season and you're looking up the table and you're just not fearing anybody you're playing against. And the same team next year is in a relegation battle and you just can't see where the next win is coming from. It's just a mentality shift.

“Tonda's got them playing really attractive football with a lot of confidence. I'm sure Manchester City are wary of the threats they'll pose.”

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