Manchester City have completed the signing of former academy goalkeeper Pierce Charles from Sheffield Wednesday.City announced on Friday that the 20-year-old Northern Ireland international had signed a five-year contract, and will immediately join Championship side Queens Park Rangers on a season-long loan.Upon re-joining City, Charles told the club’s in-house media: “To be back at Manchester City is a very special and proud moment both for me and my family.“I know first hand what a special club City is and I am so excited about looking to the future. City take the development of young players very seriously so I know that my loan to QPR will only help me grow and improve as a player too.“I’ll now give everything I can for a successful season in the Championship before hopefully returning to Manchester a better goalkeeper.”The Athletic reported on Tuesday that City had moved to sign the 20-year-old, who left the Etihad from the academy in 2022, aged 16, to join the third-tier side.Charles made his first-team debut for Sheffield Wednesday during the 2023-24 FA Cup fourth-round fixture against Coventry City and starting again in the subsequent replay.He made eight Championship appearances for the club at the end of the 2024-25 campaign, and played 21 times in all competitions last season, in a disrupted year with a shoulder injury.Charles impressed during that time, despite his side’s relegation with zero points, which came after they had 18 points deducted by the English Football League (EFL) for financial regulation breaches in the first half of the season, after filing for administration. The transfer embargo placed on the club also meant several academy players found regular game time in the team.City’s director of football Hugo Viana said: “Pierce is someone whose progress we have been following closely, and we are delighted to welcome him back to Manchester City.“Pierce has already learned a lot during his time at Sheffield Wednesday but is still very young and hungry to now further progress and develop.”Charles has earned 12 international caps since making his senior debut in October 2024, and started in his nation’s 2-0 World Cup qualifying play-off defeat to Italy in March. He has also represented Northern Ireland at Under-19 and Under-21 level.The Athletic reported in June that City’s current No. 2, James Trafford, was the subject of renewed interest from Newcastle United.Academy goalkeeper Oli Whatmuff, 18, is expected to join the City squad on their pre-season tour of Hong Kong and South Korea at the start of August, despite signing on a season-long loan deal with Stockport County where he will return afterwards.Charles is the younger brother of Shea Charles, the Southampton midfielder and his Northern Ireland international team-mate, who is the subject of transfer interest from Leeds United. Both brothers were graduates of City’s youth system.Jul 10, 2026Connections: Sports EditionSpot the pattern. Connect the termsFind the hidden link between sports terms