Charlton Athletic poised to finalise transfer swoop for Championship player | OneFootball

Millwall’s Alex Mitchell is set to join Charlton Athletic on a permanent deal as Nathan Jones looks to strengthen his squad ahead of the new season.

The former Luton Town chief was named as the Addicks’ boss earlier this year, and he was initially tasked with ensuring they didn’t get dragged into a relegation battle - which he did.

After a positive few months, attention has turned to next season, with Jones hoping to build a group that is capable of pushing for a play-off place at least.

Charlton Athletic ‘closing in’ on Alex Mitchell signing

And, the Londoners are making positive strides on that front, as it was revealed by the South London Press that they are ‘closing in’ on the signing of Mitchell from their rivals Millwall.

The update states that a permanent deal is set to be sorted, with the Lions ready to cash in as the powerful centre-back is about to enter the final year of his contract at The Den.

As well as that, they explained that bringing in defensive reinforcements has been a priority for Jones after Terrell Thomas and Michael Hector both departed this summer.

Alex Mitchell is a proven League One performer

Even though Mitchell has been with Millwall for the past six years, he has only made one appearance for the Championship side, and that came in a cup fixture.

However, the 22-year-old has been out on loan getting valuable experience over the years, and he spent the previous campaign in the third tier with Lincoln City.

Mitchell was a reliable figure for the Imps at the back as they pushed for a play-off place, although they ultimately came up short.

Prior to that, Mitchell had a brief spell with Bromley, before spending a season with Leyton Orient and St. Johnstone until he went to Sincil Bank.

At 22, the Addicks will see the defender as someone who can make an immediate impact, but he will also hope to establish himself as a key figure for Jones in the years to come as Charlton look to push on.

This could be a deal that suits Charlton and Millwall

As outlined above, Charlton are getting a young player who has shown he is capable in League One, and it looks like a smart bit of business from their side.

However, this is also a deal that makes sense for the Lions.

Neil Harris is building a team that is looking to compete for a top-half place in the Championship, and the reality is that Mitchell is untested at that level.

Plus, his contract situation means that the Lions are in a position where they need to make a decision on his future. Was it time to cash in? Or should he be offered a new long-term deal? They’ve seemingly opted to sell, and it will generate some more funds for Harris ahead of what is a massive summer window.