Football League World
·22 de julho de 2025
Charlton Athletic sent clear transfer demand - It'll ease potential Godden and Leaburn issue

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Yahoo sportsFootball League World
·22 de julho de 2025
FLW's Charlton fan pundit has had his say on what needs to be done between now and the end of the transfer window
This article is part of Football League World's 'Terrace Talk' series, which provides personal opinions from our FLW Fan Pundits regarding the latest breaking news, teams, players, managers, potential signings and more...
Charlton Athletic's solid business in the summer transfer window so far has gone under the radar at times, as Nathan Jones' side look well-set to remain in the Championship in their first season back since 2019/20.
The likes of Amari'i Bell, Reece Burke, and Joe Rankin-Costello have bolstered the backline, and Blackpool duo Sonny Carey and Rob Apter have added to an already Championship-standard midfield which includes the likes of Greg Docherty and Luke Berry.
However, whilst Apter has the quality to provide in attacking areas, the only out-and-out striker through the door at The Valley so far this summer is Tanto Olaofe, and whilst the 25-year-old has plenty of strength and pace, he is unproven at Championship level and netted just eight times in League One last season.
Therefore, FLW's Charlton fan pundit, Sam White, believes that another goalscorer needs to be added before the end of the window to help support Matty Godden.
White was clear in his transfer demands when asked by Football League World if any positions need improving: "It definitely has to be a striker," he said.
"I think the business we've done so far has been very good. We've gone under the radar, tried to be clever, and I think we've done really well. We just need a striker, and we need goals."
Former Coventry City frontman Matty Godden is the only striker at The Valley with Championship experience under his belt, and whilst the likes of Tyrese Campbell, Miles Leaburn, and Tanto Olaofe could settle into the new league easily, White feels a new arrival will ease the pressure of that having to happen.
"Godden is proven in the Championship, but I don't think he'll score more than 10 or 15 goals," he continued.
"You need others chipping in, and it'll put a lot of pressure on Campbell and Leaburn, so ideally we'd want to sign someone who can also chip in with 10 to 15 goals, if not more.
"That would be my wishlist because, as we saw last season, the defence is very solid, the midfield can do a job on its day, but when you're relying on shutting out teams, then you need someone to get that winning goal.
"I don't think we can fully rely on an older Matty Godden and an inexperienced at Championship level, Miles Leaburn [for that]."
Matty Godden will be 34 before the start of the new season, and his last two terms in the second tier before he joined Charlton last summer saw him net 14 in 75 games.
Whilst he did rediscover his goalscoring form in League One last season, netting 22 in all competitions, it could be a risk to fully rely on the former Coventry man to score consistently back in the Championship.
Last season, Charlton's 43 goals conceded were the fifth-best in League One. Whilst the competition will get tougher, and you'd expect the Addicks to concede more, Nathan Jones has ensured that his backline will still be tough to breach next season.
But in the same vein, it'll prove more difficult for their strikers to score against better defences next season. Last year, their 67 goals were enough to land them a place in the top ten in League One's goalscoring charts, but their return to the Championship will require a better frontline than last season.
That's not to say that Nathan Jones doesn't have a plethora of exciting young stars in the attacking areas - Apter, Campbell, and Leaburn are all solid first-team options aged 22 or younger, and the likes of Daniel Kanu and Kaheim Dixon are promising 20-year-olds ready to make that step into the regular set up at The Valley.
But sometimes, as a newly promoted team, you have to sacrifice that to ensure you stay in the division, and a trusted goalscorer should be a priority for the Addicks before the summer window shuts on September 1st.