Charlton Athletic set to beat Bristol Rovers in transfer race as key factor revealed | OneFootball

Charlton Athletic are reported set to beat Bristol Rovers in the race to complete the signing of Josh Edwards from Dunfermline Athletic, having offered him better wages.

That's according to a report from Bristol Live, who say that the Gas are set to miss out on the signing of the left-back as a result.

Edwards joined Dunfermline from another Scottish side, Airdrieonians, back in the summer of 2019.

He has since gone on to make 182 appearances in all competitions for the club, scoring ten goals and providing 24 assists in that time.

Now, however, it looks as though the 24-year-old will be on the move again this summer, with The Valley seemingly set to be his next destination.

Charlton set to complete Josh Edwards signing

Following the end of the season, there had been plenty of speculation around the future of Edwards, with a number of English clubs having been touted as potential suitors for the left-back.

As per this latest update however, it is Charlton that look as though they will be the ones to sign him.

It is thought that both the Addicks and their League One rivals, Bristol Rovers, had bids for Edwards accepted by Dunfermline.

However, Charlton are said to have made a better offer to the player himself in terms of wages, and as a result, the 24-year-old has apparently decided to make the move to The Valley.

If confirmed, Edwards will become the Addicks' first signing of this summer's transfer window, and it will leave Bristol Rovers still waiting to complete their first addition since the end of the season.

The 2023/24 season saw Charlton finish 16th in the League One table, nine points clear of the relegation zone. They had pulled clear of the battle to avoid the drop following the appointment of Nathan Jones as manager in early February led to an upturn in form.

For their part, Bristol Rovers had ended that campaign 15th in the final third-tier standings, four points better off than the Addicks.

Josh Edwards could be a good addition at The Valley

It does look as though the signing of Edwards could turn out to be a rather good one for Charlton to make.

As things stand, it still remains to be seen if Thierry Small will sign a new contract with the Addicks, amid apparent interest from elsewhere.

That could mean that Jones would find himself short on options at left-back if he was to depart, and the addition of Edwards from Dunfermline would help to fill that void.

Given the amount of interest in him, it does seem as though this will be something of a coup for Charlton once they have completed the deal.

At 24 years old, Edwards is also a player who has the potential to be an asset for some years to come, and who could make the club a decent profit in the future.

This is, of course, Jones' first transfer window at Charlton, and it will be interesting to see how he continues to shape the squad over the course of the summer.

For now, though, this does seem to be a rather promising start to business for the Addicks.