What else is required?
Seven players signed. The club has been quick, strategic and quite stealth like in the summer window.
I always want to see what these guys will be like in a red shirt, but on paper the squad looks much stronger and deeper than it was the day after the play-off final.
Seven permanent signings a mix of experience and potential, and an average age of 26.7. Players also that can play in a variety of positions.
The window, remember, closes in about six weeks. So then, what else do we think we need?
It’s hard to completely know, and fees are structured in a manner of ways, but I reckon the club has spent in the range of £5.5 – 6.0m. The budget number is classified, but I think more than most of us believed.
Will any be left for an end of window raid, or will Jones sanction a shrewd loan signing or two. I hear that Chapple is in dialogue with Premier League clubs, but as we know young players’ loans are nearly always approved late in window’s.
That question of who else do we need and whereabouts has to be answered in accordance with who will leave. Ashley Maynard-Brewer, Alex Mitchell, Gassan Ahadme (conspicious by his absence in Slovenia) are all possibilities for an outwards permanent move. Terry Taylor would be another but injury will keep him out for a big chunk of the first half of the season.
Zach Mitchell, Nathan Asiimwe, Daniel Kanu, Micah Mbick, Kaheim Dixon, Kai Enslin, Ibrahim Fullah and Alan Mwamba are all loan possibilities although Jones does like to have a handful of trusted academy players on hand that he can turn to, and next season will be nine on the subs’ bench.
Defenders continue to get matched, but we look to have cover in each position. Or do we still need a left-wing-back or will Amari’i Bell cover that as well?
None of us really know who Nathan Jones will utilize at right-wing-back, but he has options depending on the opposition and circumstance, and I have a suspicion he will rotate this position to be both tactical and sagacious.
Jones is on record saying that we need to strengthen and improve the quality in the final third. Rob Apter has since joined but an attack-minded midfielder, possibly another wide man and almost certainly a striker could be on the shopping list.
Will we sign as many as ten players? I don’t think it is beyond the realms of possibilities, but definitely Charlton still look active in the market with a striker top of the list.
I would agree with you that a striker is top of the list. It clearly didn’t work out for Ahadme for whatever reason, so best move him on. I don’t know how the Keillor-Dunne situation is working out, but he would be a great option. It has been suggested that Barnsley are under pressure to sell due their financial situation. I would think he would command a significant fee as a result.
Mbick and Kanu are loan options and maybe a PL striker will be loaned in. NJ doesn’t appear to be keen on loans.
I would like to see Zak Mitchell given a chance in the squad rather than loaned out. If he remains his namesake Alex is likely to depart. NJ doesn’t seem to very keen players from foreign leagues, seems to prefer the national leagues.
Interesting times ahead.. I for one am hopeful with the current signings made. The transfer market tends to hot up next month, as players seek better playing opportunities and club managers want to strengthen their squad before the window closes. We still have the deadline day fanfare to endure. I can see some of those loans coming to fruition. As you say interesting times ahead.
Let’s not forget we do have patrick casey who has Charlton running through his veins I haven’t heard of much from him last season but he has surely got to be considered as back up just in case something happens mid season that lad has certainly got pace in the under aged categories..
Craig – is Casey still at the club? I have not seen a retained list for the U21 / U18’s.
I have no insider knowledge but I’m thinking with the amount of money spent so far, the owners/financers would be keen on shipping some players out fairly soon (with Ahadme at the top of the list) to either recoup some funds or at least reduce the now spiralling wage bill.
Why an earth are Charlton not looking at first division Belgian and first division Dutch strikers. Better and cheaper than EFL strikers usually. Total lack of imagination in constantly recycling journeyman EFL players – mostly from Luton- no thinking outside the box whatsoever!
We still have Godden , Olalyfo Leaburn and Mbick all pushing for one spot personally I would rather bring in someone to play Campbell role , like Harvey Knibbs of Reading I know we have made contact but Reading now after takeover not keen to sell .. we have Costello , Berry and Carey all pushing for the number 10 role even Apter could be the answer plus young player Fuller who been very impressive ?? … Kellor Dunn is not financially sensible given his age and never played at championship level would be at 4/5 mill a massive risk …. it’s a difficult one all depends on the system we intend to play , Richard Crawley has said we are looking at attacking mid and striker but who is the question , could be loans ??
I think Harvey Knibbs is a good option too. 26 and one year left on his contract. I understand he’s currently injured and not played any pre-season games. I feel he is more in Charlton’s transfer fee range, as Kellior-Dunn (27) is likely to be in £5mill range, breaking our own club transfer fee record for Jason Euell.
Everyone keeps mentioning Ashley as a possible transfer but I thought NJ has sais he wants 3 senior keepers?
Leaburn is the only centre forward, an old fashioned No.9 in the squad, Kanu, Oloafe and Ahadme are strikers but not technical enough to lead the line, Godden is technically better but size and age make him more suitable for the ‘fox in the box’ role. Mbick is promising but needs more time to develop. The ideal partnership is Leaburn with Godden. As strikers rarely play 90 minutes Kanu and Oloafe on the subs bench. Kanu played with Leaburn in the U18s and they had a good understanding. I think a 4-3-3 system might work with Campbell as the third player with Leaburn and Godden.
So in my opinion we need a CF who can hold up play and lead the line, but they are difficult to find at a reasonable price. Maybe a loanee could fill the bill.
In yesterday’s game I thought Zach Mitchell and Anderson both looked good and both should be in the first team squad and not sent out on loan. Fullah is developing fast and could provide cover for Campbell. Oloafe and Kanu did not look a viable pairing for the Championship.
Mannion and Ahadme did not appear to be in Slovenia so maybe they will be leaving. I feel sorry for Mannion as he played well at the end of last season and although the defence was solid and he had few shots to deal with, his handling of crosses from corners and freekicks was immaculate. In my opinion he is significantly better than MB. But at 27 he deserves to be a No.1 goalkeeper, so if not at CAFC then elsewhere.
Mannion had a slight calf strain so didn’t travel plus his partner is due to have a baby pretty soon.
CAFC need one more striker for sure, and they have to get rid of a few deadwood, and yes, aptly named Ahadme and I had you and Mitchell and have never rated, but again, we worry about a surprise departure and hope not!!!
CA whilst we are bringing in new players, similar to last year and previous years, not all of them are going to make it, either through injuries, fitness issues, &/or just not good enough at this level, along with quite a few of our exisiting players who also just won’t be up to the Championship. As we all have different views of who we think will make the grade and who won’t from last seasons squad, though most of us will probably agree on certain players who should defintely be shifted on. So at present there appears to be no mention anywhere of any outgoings of the exisiting first team squad in either been moved on or loaned out, apart from suggestions of Kanu to Wimbledon, (which like rierit I think that he should stay & be on the bench and we need another No 9). Which IMO is a bit of a concern, as we kept a very large squad last season, with too many players either injured or not good enough, so had to resort several times to players outside the first team filling the bench, which won’t suffice in the Championship. So just hope Jones doesn’t continue to retain some of his old favorites, as the dead wood should be culled ASAP, which would free up more space and costs to bring in some more better quality players.
In fact, I have it on good authority that Curbs spoke to Jones in respect of this after they got promoted, that if you want to survive this next season, more or less don’t let loyalty cloud the issue on retaining certain players! Just hope he listened.
I think we need to ship a few of the fringe players out on loan – that’s DK, Nathan Asiimwe, Kaheim Dixon, Micah Mbick. All would benefit from playing at L1/L2 level and we have plenty of cover for the positions they play in.
The question is Gassan Ahadme – he/his wife had a sick child to deal with last season which might have been the reason why he didn’t travel to Slovenia. Prior to that he was poor in the first third of the season although our set up didn’t help him.
I can’t see another L1 signing him, he’ll be on higher wages than most clubs can afford so possibly he’ll be another loaned out to get some of his wages off the budget.
I’d like another forward, perhaps a target man forward as Godden and Olaofe are more likely to feed off knock downs, so another Leaburn type of player?
I agree on the need for a target man. NJ probably hoped that Ahadme was that option. But he never delivered and that is where we lack up top.
Was slightly suprised