Charlie William Henry Savage (born 2 May 2003) is a Welsh professional footballer who plays as a midfielder for EFL League One club Reading and the Wales national team.
 Savage with Manchester United in 2021 | |||
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Charlie William Henry Savage[1] | ||
| Date of birth | 2 May 2003[2] | ||
| Place of birth | Leicester, England | ||
| Height | 6 ft 0 in (1.82 m)[2] | ||
| Position(s) | Midfielder | ||
| Team information | |||
Current team | Reading | ||
| Number | 8 | ||
| Youth career | |||
| –2021 | Manchester United | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2021–2023 | Manchester United | 0 | (0) |
| 2023 | → Forest Green Rovers (loan) | 15 | (1) |
| 2023– | Reading | 49 | (6) |
| International career‡ | |||
| 2019 | Wales U17 | 3 | (0) |
| 2021 | Wales U18 | 1 | (0) |
| 2021 | Wales U19 | 5 | (1) |
| 2022– | Wales U21 | 7 | (0) |
| 2023– | Wales | 2 | (0) |
|
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 15:11, 22 October 2024 (UTC) ‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 19:14, 10 September 2024 (UTC) | |||
Early life
editSavage was born in Leicester, Leicestershire,[2] and was educated at Manchester Grammar School.[3] He followed in the footsteps of his father, former Wales international footballer Robbie Savage, by joining the youth ranks of Manchester United.[4][5]
Club career
editSavage signed his first professional contract with Manchester United in April 2021.[6][7] He made his first-team debut for United on 8 December 2021, replacing Juan Mata in the 89th minute of the 2021–22 UEFA Champions League match against Young Boys,[8] while his father, Robbie Savage, was co-commentating on the match for BT Sport.[9] On 22 May 2022, Savage was named in a Premier League matchday squad for the first time, against Crystal Palace.[10]
In January 2023, Savage joined Forest Green Rovers for the remainder of the 2022–23 season,[11] making his debut for the club on 14 February 2023 in a home defeat to Charlton Athletic[12] and scoring his first league goal in a 3–1 defeat by Bristol Rovers on 11 March 2023.[13]
On 22 July 2023, Savage signed for Reading on a four-year contract.[14][15] He scored his first goal for Reading in a 4–0 win over Millwall in the EFL Cup on 8 August 2023.[16]
International career
editSavage has represented Wales at under-17, under-18, under-19 and under-21 levels.[17] He was called up to the under-19 team for a friendly tournament in Croatia in September 2021,[18] and scored in a 3–2 defeat to Austria.[19] In September 2022, Savage was called up to the Wales under-21 squad for the first time.[20]
In October 2023, Savage received his first call-up to the Wales senior national team for a friendly match against Gibraltar and an UEFA Euro 2024 qualifier against Croatia.[21][22] He won his first cap for Wales in the former match, on 11 October, starting in a 4–0 win over Gibraltar.[23]
Style of play
editA central midfielder like his father, Savage is comfortable both defending and going forward.[24] Despite the similarities, Savage has said that he does not see the likeness, stating that he is more of a technical, ball playing midfielder, rather than a tenacious player like his father was.[25]
Career statistics
editClub
edit- As of match played 27 April 2024[26]
| Club | Season | League | FA Cup | EFL Cup | Europe | Other | Total | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Manchester United U21 | 2021–22[27] | — | — | — | — | 3[a] | 0 | 3 | 0 | |||||
| 2022–23[28] | — | — | — | — | 4[a] | 0 | 4 | 0 | ||||||
| Total | — | — | — | — | 7 | 0 | 7 | 0 | ||||||
| Manchester United | 2021–22 | Premier League | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1[b] | 0 | — | 1 | 0 | |
| Forest Green Rovers (loan) | 2022–23[28] | League One | 15 | 1 | — | — | — | — | 15 | 1 | ||||
| Reading | 2023–24[29] | League One | 40 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 1 | — | 2[a] | 1 | 45 | 5 | |
| Career total | 55 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 9 | 1 | 68 | 6 | ||
- ^ a b c Appearances in EFL Trophy
- ^ Appearance in UEFA Champions League
International
edit- As of match played 6 June 2024[30]
| National team | Year | Apps | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wales | 2023 | 1 | 0 |
| 2024 | 1 | 0 | |
| Total | 2 | 0 | |
Honours
editIndividual
- Forest Green Rovers Goal of the Season: 2022–23[31]
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ "Premier League clubs publish 2020/21 retained lists". Premier League. 4 June 2021. Retrieved 8 December 2021.
- ^ a b c Charlie Savage at WorldFootball.net
- ^ @MGSMagic (23 January 2018). "MGS's Charlie Savage and Drew Baker have both been selected for the England @isfafootball Under-15s team and will travel to a camp in Scotland this April. Well done to both" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
- ^ "Charlie Savage". ManUtd.com. Manchester United FC. Retrieved 4 August 2021.
- ^ Whitwell, Laurie (13 March 2021). "'I want to be known for being me' – Savage Jr making own mark at Manchester United". The Athletic. Retrieved 4 August 2021. (subscription required)
- ^ "Charlie Savage signs first professional Man Utd deal". BBC Sport. 7 April 2021. Retrieved 4 August 2021.
- ^ "Robbie Savage's son Charlie signs first professional deal with Manchester United". The Athletic. 7 April 2021. Retrieved 4 August 2021.
- ^ Stone, Simon (8 December 2021). "Man Utd 1–1 Young Boys: Youthful United side held in final Champions League group game". BBC Sport. Retrieved 8 December 2021.
- ^ "Charlie Savage: Robbie Savage watches son make his Man Utd debut". BBC Sport. 9 December 2021. Retrieved 9 December 2021.
- ^ "United team to face Palace confirmed". ManUtd.com. Manchester United FC. 22 May 2022. Retrieved 18 July 2022.
- ^ Savage loan to Forest Green
- ^ "Forest Green Rovers 0–1 Charlton Athletic". BBC Sport. 14 February 2023. Retrieved 17 June 2023.
- ^ "Forest Green Rovers 1–3 Bristol Rovers". BBC Sport. 11 March 2023. Retrieved 17 June 2023.
- ^ Nelson, Joe (22 July 2023). "Savage completes permanent transfer". Manchester United F.C. Retrieved 22 July 2023.
- ^ "Savage signs! Charlie becomes newest Royal recruit". Reading F.C. 22 July 2023. Retrieved 22 July 2023.
- ^ "Millwall 0–4 Reading". BBC. 8 August 2023. Retrieved 10 August 2023.
- ^ "C. Savage". besoccer.com. Retrieved 29 November 2023.
- ^ "U19 squad announced for Croatia tournament". Football Association of Wales. 18 August 2021. Retrieved 14 September 2021.
- ^ @charliesavage84 (4 September 2021). "Good experience today vs Austria, was also a proud moment for me to have scored my first goal for Wales 🏴" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
- ^ "Matthew Jones: Ex-international midfielder named Wales Under-21 boss". BBC Sport. 15 September 2022. Retrieved 15 September 2022.
- ^ Ellis, Callum (6 October 2023). "Senior call-ups another proud moment for Matty Jones". FAW. Retrieved 7 October 2023.
- ^ "Senior call-ups Beck and Savage in Wales U21 squad". BBC Sport. Retrieved 7 October 2023.
- ^ "Wales 4–0 Gibraltar: As it happened & reaction". BBC.co.uk. 11 October 2023. Retrieved 13 June 2024.
- ^ Okey, Paul (10 April 2021). "Savage: Being my son means Charlie will face difficult obstacles at United". football365.com. Retrieved 4 August 2021.
- ^ Williams, Glen (7 April 2021). "Robbie Savage's son Charlie signs professional contract at Man Utd". WalesOnline. Media Wales. Retrieved 4 August 2021.
- ^ Charlie Savage at Soccerway. Retrieved 3 May 2024.
- ^ "Games played by Charlie Savage in 2021/2022". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 18 June 2023.
- ^ a b "Games played by Charlie Savage in 2022/2023". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 17 June 2023.
- ^ "Games played by Charlie Savage in 2023/2024". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 3 May 2024.
- ^ "Charlie Savage Internationals". WorldFootball.net. Retrieved 27 October 2023.
- ^ "McGeouch wins Player of the Season". Forest Green Rovers. 30 April 2023. Retrieved 28 May 2023.
External links
edit
- Profile at the Reading F.C. website
- Charlie Savage – UEFA competition record (archive)
