Transfer Window Update: Can Loans Fire Charlton to Safety?

The Duchatelet Empire is yielding a number of players but with 3 and a bit days we ask if it's enough to keep Charlton in the Championship

With a clear need for more goals to fire the Addicks to safety, and a rather threadbare looking squad, with question marks over at least 3 key players futures in this window, not to mention their and the Manager along with his back room deals all expiring in June. Charlton's new owners must surely have quite a challenge on their hands.

So far new recruits are as follows (all loans from Standard Liege):

DM Astrit Ajdarevic

GK Thuram

RM Anil Koc (U20)

Other players rumoured to be on their way

RB Loic Nego  and under 20 French International of Duchatelet owned Hungarian Club Újpest (more here). Formally at Roma on a 5 year deal, where he failed to break into the first team.

CF  Reza 'Gucci' Ghoochannejhad (Liege) is said to have had an average of 1 in 2 at another of Duchatelet's purchased Belgian clubs Sint-Truiden (more here) before moving to Liege in 2012-13. So far this has been widely reported but not confirmed by CAFC.

What ingredients might keep Charlton up?

The January window which is notoriously hard and potentially expensive must be successfully navigated. This clearly will present a serious challenge to anyone trying to be thrifty, but also get a club out of danger no matter how noble that cause is, what matters is results especially when you are in the dangerous territory of a relegation fight. Overall the squad needs to be improved significantly.

A 20 goal per season striker must surely be on the clubs wish list but then that's true of pretty much every other club, and our rivals in the lower half aren't hanging about.

Replace any key departing or long term injured players. If any key players leave in the window the gaps will need to be plugged with replacements be of sufficient quality, and given the time to gel. Chris Solly also appears to be a long term injury issue for Powell.

In conclusion:

While Roland may be exploiting his network and bringing in underutilised squad players, it's hard to see on the evidence so far that this will entirely seal the deal and bring the goals required - Charlton are currently  in the relegation zone 3rd from bottom with 2 games in hand on some rivals. Having scored only 22 goals so far this season Charlton lie second from bottom in goals scored above only Yeovil.

There are several more days left however..

The Loan System points to consider

  • Charlton are allowed a maximum of 4 senior loans from one club, plus one under 20. Is this likely to change in the future?
  • No more than 5 loan players (of any kind) may be named on a match team sheet.
  • There is debate over whether loans affect stability and team spirit, and too many of them will restrict Powell's ability to field his strongest team.
  • [Ed] These loans will however be within the same Sporting company so the loyalty factor may be mitigated a little.

BR