Over budget

Katrien Meire has opened up to the South London Press on how the club have overspent on wages this summer. This has been caused not only by signing better quality players than in the past, many of whom are internationals, but also by offering bigger salaries to both Jordan Cousins and Johann Berg Gudmundsson. I would add that players loaned and signed from Standard Liege previously were probably not as costly as signing, say, Simon Makienok from Palermo.

The continued cost of players loaned out and the cancelling Andre Bikey were all highlighted by the CEO, and it sounds to me that Luzon will be made to wait for any loan additions.

Katrien also confirmed that both Morgan Fox, currently on duty for Wales, and Nick Pope are in discussions on contract extensions. If they materialise then that would be great news for Addicks, and whilst a lot of us have concerns over the depth of the squad currently, a look at the current length of player’s contracts should mean we won’t have the same issues next summer that we have had these past two.

The current first team squad only has Johnnie Jackson, Alou Diarra and Harry Lennon out of contract next summer. Franck Moussa, Joe Pigott, Callum Harriott and Reza Ghoochannejhad’s also expire but I would expect these players will not be contract priorities.

This is about as significant an announcement from Katrien than we have seen for some time, and more informative than her programme notes thus far this season.

Morgan Fox is a very good example of a player that has improved under Luzon’s watch and the key will be how many others in his squad can be coached into being better players. Improving players is a damn lot cheaper and far more rewarding than churning the playing squad at every opportunity. How satisfying would it be if players such as Kashi, Watt, Bauer and Fox hung around for a few seasons together under Luzon. Making themselves better and the team.