All of Charlton Athletic's 2023 summer signings (Ranked) | OneFootball

Highlights

Charlton Athletic have been a club that in recent years cannot stay away from drama and the limelight - and that's certainly been the case once again early on in 2023-24.

Owner Thomas Sandgaard sold up to SE7 Partners, the consortium that includes ex-Sunderland chief Charlie Methven, and within a month of their official arrival they had sacked head coach Dean Holden.

Michael Appleton has replaced Holden in the dugout at The Valley, and he arrives having to deal with a boat load of summer signings that have arrived at the London club this summer, with no fewer than 11 new additions.

Based on their reputations and performances before landing at The Valley, let's rank Charlton's summer signings from the least inspiring to the most exciting.

11 Tennai Watson

Having played 30 times in League One last season for MK Dons, Watson provides a solid enough option for Appleton to select at right-back.

Capable of covering at left-back too, the 26-year-old isn't flashy but is a more experienced alternative to teenager Nathan Asiimwe.

It's not exactly an exciting signing that will get the pulses racing on the terraces, but it was a necessary one.

10 Louie Watson

Picked up by Derby County in 2020 from West Ham, Watson was one of the many youngsters to earn his debut under Wayne Rooney at the Rams whilst they were struggling financially.

The midfielder did not disgrace himself in the Championship and it wasn't a surprise to see Luton Town take a chance on him last summer, although he only featured nine times in all competitions in his debut year.

A creative player when he's on the ball, Watson will add more energy into the engine room, but it's hard to rank him on what he's done at senior level so far.

9 Harry Isted

Isted had barely played above non-league level until he was loaned to Barnsley in the second half of last season by Luton, but he proved to be a big asset.

Taking the gloves when Brad Collins was injured, Isted kept goal in their run to the play-off final and had plenty of interest in him by the time the summer came around thanks to his performances.

Charlton won the battle though, and whilst it's a solid signing, it doesn't exactly jump off the page like others.

8 Slobodan Tedic

Tedic had a bit of a stop-start season at Barnsley on loan last season, but he still provided some important contributions to the Tykes' season with four goals.

If the Serbian can keep fit then he will be a good alternative to teenager Miles Leaburn, with his strength and his aerial ability, as shown in South Yorkshire, pretty good.

And with it looking like he won't make the grade at Man City, there could be a permanent deal done for Tedic next summer should he impress.

7 Chem Campbell

An attacking midfielder with an eye for goal, an assist and with a bit of flair, Campbell is the kind of player who can get a supporter off their seat.

The 20-year-old arrived from Wolves on loan having spent a portion of last season in the third tier with Wycombe, scoring three times for the Chairboys.

Campbell also played five times in the Premier League last season, showing that he's highly thought of at Molineux and he could be a difference maker in some matches this season.

6 Tayo Edun

With Steven Sessegnon not coming back to the Addicks, Charlton needed a new left-back and they got a very decent League One standard player in Edun.

Having fallen out of favour at Blackburn, the 25-year-old brings good experience from his time at Lincoln City and at Ewood Park too, having played 28 times in the Championship.

5 James Abankwah

Despite having very little experience at senior level, Abankwah was handed a start by Udinese in Serie A last season against Juventus - that means that he is surely highly rated by the Italians.

They have sent him to The Valley for his first taste of regular men's football and the Republic of Ireland under-21 international looks to be pretty quick and physical for a youngster, so he should be able to cope with the pacier League One strikers.

4 Lloyd Jones

Once a prodigy at Liverpool, Jones' career didn't pan out the way as once expected, but he arrived at Charlton over the summer from Cambridge United on the back of a great season.

The U's only just avoided relegation to League Two, but Jones was very solid and sweeped up the club's Player of the Year awards, which just shows how important he was.

Jones adds some steel at the back for Charlton and his presence should make an awful lot of difference.

3 Panutche Camara

2022-23 didn't go Camara's way at Ipswich Town as he struggled with injuries, but a fully-fit version of him is one of the best midfielders in the division.

The Guinea-Bissau international was a star for Plymouth in 2021-22 and he is a powerful box-to-box presence who can score goals as well as get stuck in.

Camara offers the midfield something different, but the hope is that the club can just keep him wrapped up and available for action.

2 Terry Taylor

Unlike Camara who is on loan, Taylor's addition on a permanent deal from Burton Albion is certainly a coup.

His tally of four assists last year in League One doesn't exactly jump off the page, but Taylor is a talented engine room operator whose best years are ahead of him at the age of 22.

There is plenty of competition in the midfield area now for places, but Taylor has a lot of quality and will only get better.

1 Alfie May

It's hard not to put May top of the list considering his exploits in League One over the past two seasons.

The striker has scored 43 times for Cheltenham Town in the third tier of English football, and that led to Charlton splashing out around £250,000 on his services.

Should he get the required service, then there's every reason to believe that May could be the 20-goal a season forward that the club have been looking for for some time.