AFC Wimbledon: Ethan Chislett should be Johnnie Jackson's inspiration for January transfer call | OneFootball

The Dons need to find themselves a creative attacking midfielder in January, and should use the signing of Ethan Chislett as inspiration

While AFC Wimbledon's summer transfer business was certainly good but now having reached the winter months of the season, there are some areas that are starting to show signs of weakness.

One of those areas is attacking midfield, where, apart from the likes of youngsters such as Morgan Williams and Kai Jennings, the Dons do not seem to have sufficient quality, with the likes of Joe Pigott and Omar Bugiel dropping into the position and acting as a shadow striker.

So, with the January window just over a month away, Jackson should really be setting his sights on bringing in a gem of an attacking midfielder on the cheap, and for inspiration for this move, he should look at Ethan Chislett, the transfer that brought him to the club and his tenure.

Ethan Chislett's time at AFC Wimbledon

Chislett, or Chissy as he was more affectionately known, arrived at Wimbledon in the summer of 2020 from Aldershot Town. In the season prior, which was curtailed early due to Covid-19, the South African had arrived at the top level of the National League, played 38 games and scored nine times in all competitions, ending up as the Shots' top scorer for the campaign.

After reportedly beating off competition from Italy for the attacking midfielder, Wimbledon boss Glyn Hodges would use Chislett as his creative spark in his team, giving the Durban-born midfielder a mix of starts in the team, and appearances from the bench.

However, once the Welshman was dismissed and was replaced by Mark Robinson, the summer signing began to lose his place in the team, and it would not be until the former Burton Albion was also let go by the club, that he would get a chance to shine and show his talents again.

That time came under Jackson, and in his one season under the former Charlton midfielder, he flourished alongside Harry Pell in central midfield, becoming the player out of the pair to carry the ball forward and into attack, as well as the club's primary set piece taker, which, among his stunning collection, included a brilliant free-kick against Newport County.

He would also end what would be his final season with Wimbledon as the club's top scorer with 11 goals across the season, nine in the league and two in the FA Cup, before moving on to Port Vale.

Ethan Chislett should be Johnnie Jackson's inspiration for a new attacking midfielder

The South African should serve as Jackson's transfer muse not just because of his talents but for the fact that the club can get great value for money by simply putting some trust in the non-league sphere.

This is not to say that Jackson and his transfer team, in particular Craig Cope, do not pay attention to the lower reaches of English football, but for the most part, barring a few signings, they have stuck to picking up good talent from in and around the EFL.

Such an approach is understandable, as signings from the fifth tier and below can be very hit-and-miss. The Dons have shared in this experience but Chislett was a real showing that giving a player who is rebuilding their career in non-league a chance can pay dividends.

Very often there will be talents down there, who, like Chislett was following his release from Southampton at age 14, are hungry to prove that they have the skill and desire to reach their full potential, and will most importantly, be available for a fraction of the price an EFL player may cost.

There is also the tactical point of view, that a player like the 26-year-old could come straight into the team and offer a different option to help Jackson switch to a plan B, something he has not always been able to do at times this season, due to selection issues.

Bringing in a player in the mold of Chislett will give the Dons an agile midfielder that will like staying with the attack, instead of dropping back, and allow the ball to get to the attack quicker, with more players in support too.

Jackson could save money by trusting AFC Wimbledon youth prodigies

The benefits of looking to the transfer market to bolster in attacking midfield are clear but Wimbledon could save money that may be spent on a loan or permanent transfer by simply putting some faith in youth starlets that currently have in the position.

Both Williams and Jennings are well-thought-about in Dons circles and are arguably the next big attacking talents to come from an academy that has already produced the likes of Jack Rudoni and Ayoub Assal to name a few.

Both, however, are currently out on loan, with Williams currently in the National League South with Dorking Wanderers until January, and Jennings with Isthmian Premier side Whitehawk FC.

They have impressed respectively, with Williams having recently scored his first goal in Dorking colours in the past few days and already performing well enough to get the opinion of fans that he is far too good for the level.

While Jennings has continued the form he showed in a brief loan spell at the tail end of last season by already scoring two goals, assisting teammates four times too, as well as being nominated for the club's player of the month awards in September and October.

It is understandable why Jackson has decided their time is better served out on loan than sitting on the Wimbledon bench, but having now gone through a rough patch of form, and potentially needing a signing in a position that is well stocked within the academy, it does make sense that the Dons review themselves internally before deciding whether they need to bring in talent from elsewhere or trust their homegrown talent instead.

Indeed, the Chislett-style signing that they're looking for could already be on their books, impressing out on loan in non-league.