Oliver Skipp signs on loan
Way past everyone’s bed time, the club have announced that they have signed Leicester City’s Oliver Skipp on a season-long loan. Our 11th summer window signing.
Skipp is a defensive central midfielder and will compete with Nathaniel Chalobah, Timothy Ouma, Conor Coventry, Alan Mwamba and possibly skipper Greg Docherty who remains at the club tonight, although rumours of a future destination included Scotland and the USA, where the transfer deadline is later this week.
I think central midfield is a weak leak within the squad, not so much due to quality but inexperience and potential injury worries through the season.
Skipp was a very promising youngster at Tottenham who he joined as an 8-year old. He had one very good season at Norwich in the 2020/21 Championship when he was 20, winning the title and featuring in the PFA Team of the Year.
This was the peak of his stardust appeal. Like a lot of talented young players playing for big clubs he should’ve probably moved on at that point, but he did establish himself in their first team under Antonio Conte, but an injury curtailed that season.
He then signed a 5-year contract at Spurs and was a regular player over the next couple of seasons but made a £20 million move to Leicester at the start of the 2024/25 season.
That fateful move resulted in two relegations for the Foxes and is now seen as part of the problem not the solution.
Oliver Skipp has at times, many times in fact, been an excellent holding midfielder. Question is can Nathan Jones get him to recreate the form that saw him play for the England U21’s 23 times.
Welcome to our little corner of South London, Oliver.
I’ve a good feeling about this signing. A lot of negative talk on Charlton Twitter-(X)- verse but I think Skipp has the potential to thrive in the positive culture Jones has created within this squad
I hope he can find that form, certainly did not impress when seeing him play for Leicester. He certainly adds that championship experience and we have seen how important that is for us in particular. So let’s see how he goes, and we can judge him on those performances. I won’t want to see Mwamba held back for a loan player. I think it’s clear Chalobah will not play every game and Doherty is on his way.
Not past my bedtime.
Spent the summer in Red Lodge Montana. Heading back to Coral Gables after labor day. Our drive back through the Adirondacks will include a stop at Dollywood!
I’m pleased with Charlton transfer biz. Let the kids play and let the older ones bite at their ankles!!
Send my condolences to Dolly. Safe travels.
COYR
Happy to see the new deals signed, the 11 new additions, and the club getting back on a stable foundation after the Sangaard reign and in a position again to start accumulating assets (TC, Mbick, Mwamba, Fullah, Nkeng) to use to press upward and onwards. Give the window a solid 8-8.5 when taking everything into account, though no doubt many will disagree lol.
Think Skipp might prove to be one of those players that thrives with a change of scenery, management, and surrounding talent.
Without question I think the transfer window has been a huge success, no small part due to the contract extensions. We could have easily lost TC with all the movement going on. I am pleasantly surprised by McNamara who has exceeded expectations, Grant adds quality crossing and a goal threat, and Billy has looked a very exciting prospect. Mesic hasn’t let us down when called upon and Chalobah is class if staying fit. In addition, Mwamba looks like he will play a big part and the club resisted cashing in on a last day offer of £7m from Southampton for Mbick, that says it all about his ability and our owners vision for the future. I was even pleased that we didn’t get too tempted by JRS, if it isn’t right, walk.
To top all of this, I was hoping for Coady and Keiller Dunne on the last day. I think the former is keeping his options open and we can’t wait, so we have gone for Skippy….. This is where the negative in me rears its head, it is a gamble and I suspect we are tempted by the prospect of a player that cost £20m only two seasons ago. He deserves his chance, but if I was interviewing him, I would have wanted a good explanation for that very very lazy tackle against Burton Albion, which quite rightly culminated with a red card. I note the club have “skipped” past the red card card by merely stating that he is eligible for his Valley debut against QPR.
IMHO, Nathan has earned the right to select his squad, he is the reason we are able to play at the table, but he is certainly gambling, and I doubt Lenny or Curbs would have made this call… I just hope it is not at the expense of developing Mwamba.
COYA
What an encouraging transfer window…after the news broke that club were up for sale …or looking for new investment……pleased …very pleased with the additions…as usual new additions can be a gamble and sometimes it is worth a punt …good luck to the boys and win or draw tonight will definately seal a very very promising start….Great work Nathan and the management team
It’s been a fantastic transfer window some great players in there was a few I was unsure about but I thought let them do the job on the pitch and then decide
3 games 9 points says it all I know it’s a long tough season but I think we will finish at least in the top 10 which is progress
My only gripe is the signing of a lot of young players doesn’t hamper our own young players coming through or very good academy
COYR