Charlton Athletic should consider Port Vale transfer raid: View | OneFootball

Nathan Jones will be looking to add extra creativity and firepower to his Charlton Athletic side over the summer, with the Londoners struggling to share the goals around the team over the course of the current campaign

Aside from League One top scorer Alfie May, no current Addicks player has mustered more than Daniel Kanu’s six goals this season, culminating in a run of just four wins in 27 league matches.

The flip side of that stat is that Charlton haven’t tasted defeat in their last 14 games, with 10 of those ending in draws; further emphasising the need for someone who can be the difference-maker in the tight games across a domestic season.

The team from The Valley won’t have to look too far for a player who could fit in to the side perfectly next season, with Port Vale’s Ethan Chislett a player that has to be on their radar ahead of the summer.

Ethan Chislett stars for relegation-threatened Port Vale in League One

Jones has made his new side a hard one to beat since taking the job over from Michael Appleton at the start of February, with the former Southampton manager overseeing just one defeat during his tenure so far.

With victories over the likes of Barnsley and Derby County, there is plenty of potential within the Addicks’ squad to push further up the league in the next campaign, and with a couple of extra additions they could be a side that is pushing towards the top end of the division rather than looking down.

No League One side has drawn more games than Jones’ side this season - with 19 of their matches ending level - which will have left the Welshman ruing a number of points dropped throughout the year.

Charlton lost the attacking flair or Corey Blackett-Taylor during the January transfer window, with the forward linking up with Derby in an initial loan move which is set to be made permanent in the summer.

The 26-year-old had been one of the stars for Athletic in the early part of the season, with his eight goals and six assists still seeing him rank second for goal involvements in the squad despite not featuring for the previous three months.

That fact emphasizes the need for extra creative outlets at The Valley for the following campaign, and in Chislett they could have a man that could bolster their attacking options in 2024/25.

The 25-year-old has been an almost ever-present for the Valiants this season, with his 16 goal involvements from midfield topping the charts for the Burslem-based side.

The former AFC Wimbledon man has the flair and creativity needed to unlock all manner of League One defences - something he has shown when given the opportunities within a struggling Vale side this season.

Never afraid to take a man on or try his luck from distance, Chislett has shown enough this season to prove himself worthy of another shot at the third tier in the next campaign - even though his current side failed to preserve their status for another season.

Vale, who have won just twice in 2024, were relegated back to League Two this past weekend, with Darren Moore's best efforts to try and keep the Staffordshire outfit up proving fruitless.

Chislett has worked as hard as anyone to try to maintain their League One status, with two goals in his last three matches as he tries to maintain their fighting spirit, only for issues at the other end of the pitch causing them misery.

The midfielder opened the scoring with a superbly taken volley from the edge of the penalty area against Exeter City last weekend, before his side threw away a two-goal lead to go down 4-2, before his equaliser against Wycombe Wanderers in midweek also proved to be in vain.

If the playmaker was unleashed in a team full of fellow creative outlets, he would be able to shine even brighter, with the likes of May and Kanu likely to offer him plenty more opportunities to showcase his abilities.

Jones favours a system that focuses on having a 'number 10' behind two strikers, and that is a role that Chislett would thrive in if he were to make the move to The Valley, with his nous for making late runs into the box as well as linking up play sure to benefit the Addicks’ attacking output.

Charlton Athletic would have to pay a decent fee for Port Vale's Ethan Chislett

Having only made the move from Wimbledon to Vale last summer, Chislett still has another 12 months left on his deal after signing a two-year contract with the club ahead of the current campaign.

That means he will more than likely require a fee to breach him from the hold at Vale Park, although Athletic seemingly have funds to spend in the transfer window these days.

Conor Coventry - whilst not costing a transfer fee in the January transfer window - would have taken up a decent chunk of wage, while defender Macaulay Gillesphey reportedly cost the club a six-figure fee to release him from his contract with Plymouth Argyle.

With reliable goal-getters at a premium for the club at the minute, Jones opted to bring in the experience Kazenga LuaLua on a short-term deal until the end of the season, and will want to solve the issue permanently in the summer.

Chislett seems like a perfect fit for both club and player, and with Vale slipping down a division, he could be available for a cut-price fee to sweeten the deal.