Charlton Athletic have £1m+ transfer bid turned down for versatile 6-goal League One midfielder | OneFootball

Northern Ireland international Ethan Galbraith is wanted by the Addicks, but Nathan Jones will have to do more to land the versatile midfielder

Charlton Athletic have submitted a seven-figure transfer offer for Leyton Orient star Ethan Galbraith, but they'll have to go back to the drawing board after the east London club snubbed the bid.

The Addicks are preparing to return to the Championship after five years away from the second tier of English football, and they were boosted recently with the timely contract extension of manager Nathan Jones, who has penned a fresh deal until 2030.

Sonny Carey has already arrived at The Valley from Blackpool after scoring eight times in League One last season, and it appears that Jones want to bring another midfielder in in the form of 24-year-old Galbraith - although he could be eyed up as a Thierry Small replacement.

Leyton Orient turn down Charlton Athletic offer for Ethan Galbraith

According to a claim from Sky Sports reporter Mark McAdam, Charlton have made a first transfer approach for Orient's Ethan Galbraith, with a bid worth £1.3 million submitted by the Addicks hierarchy.

However, that offer has been turned down by the powers-that-be at Brisbane Road, who are set to hand Richie Wellens a brand-new contract and potentially back him to go one better in 2025-26 than the play-off final defeat last month at the hands of Charlton.

The likes of Jamie Donley and Charlie Kelman have gone back to Tottenham and QPR respectively following the end of their loan stints, and another player that could end up being on the move by the end of the summer window is Galbraith.

The Man United academy graduate was one of the real stars of the O's season, scoring six times and notching seven assists in their League One campaign, and he played all over the pitch too, mainly equally splitting his time between his natural midfield position and out wide at right wing-back.

Galbraith has just one year remaining on his Orient contract though, and they may be forced to cash in on the Northern Ireland international should increased offers come in for his services, with Swansea City also lurking with interest.

Ethan Galbraith could be Charlton Athletic's ideal Thierry Small replacement at The Valley

Charlton suffered a blow last week when it was revealed Thierry Small - a regular starter in the right wing-back role over the course of the 2024-25 season - had turned down a new contract and opted for a new challenge with next season's divisional rivals Preston North End.

That will have been a disappointment for Jones, who brought Small to the club when he was on the scrap-heap in 2024 following his exit from Southampton, but he has had to move on, and perhaps Galbraith is seen as the potential successor.

The Northern Irishman played plenty of football at right wing-back last season for Orient under Wellens, proving to be equally creative and energetic in good measure, and it's no surprise to see Championship clubs keen on snapping him up, especially with his current contract situation.

With their promotion, Charlton may have to splash out on some big signings to make sure they're competitive next season in the Championship, but they're going to have to improve their Galbraith offer if they want him to make the short journey to south London.