Summer Window 2026 - Rumours and Discussion

SantaClaus

The club will know whether Leaburn's regained the pace and acceleration he lost after his injury. If he has he's worth persevering with at Championship level but if not he needs to be given a loan in League One with a view to a sale next summer.

CAFCOlly

As things stand, it’s been a solid window. Defensively we look strong and Grant is a really clever signing IMO.

It's been done to death now, but I'm still concerned with CM. Given his injury record, Chalobah is basically the midfield version of Chuks - a fantastic footballer when fit, but not someone we can rely on for a full season. It's not a matter of if he gets injured but more when.

We’re then one freak Ouma injury away (and we’re hardly strangers to those) from Coventry and Docherty being our main pairing again. I like them both and they're nowhere near as bad as some have made out, but they don’t particularly complement each other and if we want to progress both with regards to league position and style of play, we need better.

The change in formation will also put different pressures and responsibilities on both of them as a pairing, which makes me nervous.

If Chalobah didn’t have his injury record, this wouldn’t even be a conversation. However, given that context, one more solid CM, even a promising PL loan, would turn a solid window into a very good one.

Starinnaddick

Was Brooks recommended to the club by Robbie Elliott? 

wmcf123

SouthLincsAddick said:

DOUCHER said:

ButtleJR said:

fenaddick said:

DOUCHER said:

Garrymanilow said:

DOUCHER said:

thenewbie said:

Garrymanilow said:

DOUCHER said:

 Asiimwe ,JRC, Kanu - I think the 4th to go may have to be  Leaburn - ruthless but that’s pro football 

Can't be Leaburn and Kanu. That will leave us with a 35 year old Matt Godden, an injured Charlie Kelman and a 19 year old Micah Mbick returning from a knee injury. The only thing that would be ruthless towards would be our chances of staying in the Championship 

Technically we could use Grant as an outrightbstriker but then we're back to not having many wide options so it would be a last resort. 
I can only see Leaburn going if it somehow means we can then get an oven ready proven striker with genuine Championship bona fides - which seems very very unlikely and doesn't do anything to solve the numbers problem anyway.

Tc and Alli? the new winger r the 2 left side options, apter and the winger we r looking to bring in r the right side options leaving Grant and Godden to job share until mbick and Kelman r back 

The thing is though you're taking from one area of need to populate another. Grant isn't a good centre forward in our set-up unless we're playing with 2 up front, in which case we're even more short. The striker in our set up needs to be able to challenge for the high ball as well as popping up in the box, Grant isn't the man for that job and it won't get the best out of him. Mbick is absolutely untested at this level both physically and in terms of ability. He spent last season looking decent in L2 but we can't be reliant on him as our third choice striker at this stage in the season, especially as he had a bad injury. He's fine at a 4th striker who we test out but he can't be counted as a serious option at this stage. So really if we get rid of Leaburn it's just Godden and Kelman and one injury later - Godden missed most of last season and Kelman is on his second injury with us already - we're totally unable to change a game.

I agree to an extent but if we are relying on Leaburn to win aerial duals, then we are in trouble - I think our striker needs to be able to hold the ball up but into feet this year - we hardly ever played into a strikers feet last year - Kelman did well up top on his own in that game against Hull last year and I think that’s the type of lone striker we are playing this year - Godden, Grant and Kelman can all do that and I’m assuming mbick will be the preferred alternative option 

Leaburn won the most aerial duels per 90
of any striker last season and was in the top 2% for % of aerial duels won. He’s good at winning those duels now, people just have unrealistic expectations 

He may win them, they just don't go to anyone. IMO he's poor and nowhere near championship level. 

Agreed - Dykes showed how to do it 

Agreed. A few people on here said we could do better than Dykes, but the reality is we couldn’t even afford him. I think some of our supporters still seriously underestimate just how limited our budget actually is.

We can do better than Dykes .  

SouthLincsAddick

I think it could be a breakthrough season for Leaburn, but I hope it’s on loan for another team. He’s surprisingly skilful for a big unit but he needs to develop his game. He gets bullied despite his strength. He often pleads the victim to the ref when he’s fouled (and he is fouled a lot) but it doesn’t work, he needs to get a bit more ‘dark arts’. His decision making in attack is at times poor too. All things that can be learnt and taught. He has the ability, I just don’t think he can learn it in a Championship team that will be battling again for survival. He needs game time and a regular starting place. There was a reason Dykes was offered a contract.

NabySarr

One thing I think we are severely lacking and probably need, is a good set piece taker. Our set piece record was very good last season but a lot of that was down to Bree’s delivery in the first half of the season 

Carey and Coventry are ok at best from dead ball situations. A team like us is going to need set pieces more than most, and we have a lot of size in the team to make the most of these but I think are still lacking the quality delivery when looking at the current squad. Hopefully the new winger has it 

jose

eastterrace6168 said:

Henry Irving said:

Now is the summer of our discontent
Made glorious winter by this sun of Nairobi.

How quickly a couple of signings change the mood or least briefly quieten the doubters.

Jones said seven signings and we've signed seven with one more on the cards, maybe two if the Kaminski rumours have any substance.

Under promise, over deliver is always a good policy or "keep your powder dry" as some might say.

We've strenghtened in most areas and have more depth.

Nearly all the ingrediants of the dessert have been assembled and the Jones the Baker can now cook them as he pleases but as ever the proof of the pudding will be in the eating.

To be, or not to be, that is the question:

Whether 'tis nobler in the mind to suffer

The slings and arrows of outrageous fortune,

Or to take arms against a sea of troubles

And by opposing end them...

Blimmin Shakespeare eh.
It goes on to say:

'death,

The undiscovere'd country, from whose bourn

No traveller returns,'

Yet at the beginning of the play Hamlet is supposed to see the ghost of his murdered father.
Or did he?
Because he is saying no traveller returns from death. However an encounter with a ghost!
What's that all about?

ProperCharlton

jose said:

eastterrace6168 said:

Henry Irving said:

Now is the summer of our discontent
Made glorious winter by this sun of Nairobi.

How quickly a couple of signings change the mood or least briefly quieten the doubters.

Jones said seven signings and we've signed seven with one more on the cards, maybe two if the Kaminski rumours have any substance.

Under promise, over deliver is always a good policy or "keep your powder dry" as some might say.

We've strenghtened in most areas and have more depth.

Nearly all the ingrediants of the dessert have been assembled and the Jones the Baker can now cook them as he pleases but as ever the proof of the pudding will be in the eating.

To be, or not to be, that is the question:

Whether 'tis nobler in the mind to suffer

The slings and arrows of outrageous fortune,

Or to take arms against a sea of troubles

And by opposing end them...

Blimmin Shakespeare eh.
It goes on to say:

'death,

The undiscovere'd country, from whose bourn

No traveller returns,'

Yet at the beginning of the play Hamlet is supposed to see the ghost of his murdered father.
Or did he?
Because he is saying no traveller returns from death. However an encounter with a ghost!
What's that all about?

Thanks Seth

Clem_Snide

IMO Leaburn burst onto the scene and looked very very good. He has since then had to major injury set backs. I'm not sure he has looked as sharp as he did pre-injury.

He blows hot and cold, but he will do, he is still very young and has loads of time to develop consistency. It is a shame Dykes didn't sign as I reallt think he would have helped Mile develop further.

I think the real issue here is both Miles and TC's languid styles. There body language can be mis-interpreted.

I also don't think Campbell was helped by playing him centrally for so long. He is not and will never be a central striker.

TheNotoriousBWP

Braziliance said:

If we do sell Tyreece, the replacement I would like to see would be Reyes Cleary, feel that would soften the blow. 

In an ideal world, we could make some sort of deal with Brighton over Amario Cozier-Duberry if they still wanted Mbick as well. Cozier-Duberry is unlikely to get his chance there and would settle in well at Championship level I reckon. 

There's actually a lot of good players who haven't moved yet. 

I’ve always really liked the look of Reyes Cleary, but apparently Barnsley are asking for £6m which is pretty crazy.

NabySarr

TheNotoriousBWP said:

Braziliance said:

If we do sell Tyreece, the replacement I would like to see would be Reyes Cleary, feel that would soften the blow. 

In an ideal world, we could make some sort of deal with Brighton over Amario Cozier-Duberry if they still wanted Mbick as well. Cozier-Duberry is unlikely to get his chance there and would settle in well at Championship level I reckon. 

There's actually a lot of good players who haven't moved yet. 

I’ve always really liked the look of Reyes Cleary, but apparently Barnsley are asking for £6m which is pretty crazy.

I think that’s why a PL loan winger is probably a smart move. The type of player we are looking for there is going to be expensive 

wmcf123

wmcf123 said:

SouthLincsAddick said:

DOUCHER said:

ButtleJR said:

fenaddick said:

DOUCHER said:

Garrymanilow said:

DOUCHER said:

thenewbie said:

Garrymanilow said:

DOUCHER said:

 Asiimwe ,JRC, Kanu - I think the 4th to go may have to be  Leaburn - ruthless but that’s pro football 

Can't be Leaburn and Kanu. That will leave us with a 35 year old Matt Godden, an injured Charlie Kelman and a 19 year old Micah Mbick returning from a knee injury. The only thing that would be ruthless towards would be our chances of staying in the Championship 

Technically we could use Grant as an outrightbstriker but then we're back to not having many wide options so it would be a last resort. 
I can only see Leaburn going if it somehow means we can then get an oven ready proven striker with genuine Championship bona fides - which seems very very unlikely and doesn't do anything to solve the numbers problem anyway.

Tc and Alli? the new winger r the 2 left side options, apter and the winger we r looking to bring in r the right side options leaving Grant and Godden to job share until mbick and Kelman r back 

The thing is though you're taking from one area of need to populate another. Grant isn't a good centre forward in our set-up unless we're playing with 2 up front, in which case we're even more short. The striker in our set up needs to be able to challenge for the high ball as well as popping up in the box, Grant isn't the man for that job and it won't get the best out of him. Mbick is absolutely untested at this level both physically and in terms of ability. He spent last season looking decent in L2 but we can't be reliant on him as our third choice striker at this stage in the season, especially as he had a bad injury. He's fine at a 4th striker who we test out but he can't be counted as a serious option at this stage. So really if we get rid of Leaburn it's just Godden and Kelman and one injury later - Godden missed most of last season and Kelman is on his second injury with us already - we're totally unable to change a game.

I agree to an extent but if we are relying on Leaburn to win aerial duals, then we are in trouble - I think our striker needs to be able to hold the ball up but into feet this year - we hardly ever played into a strikers feet last year - Kelman did well up top on his own in that game against Hull last year and I think that’s the type of lone striker we are playing this year - Godden, Grant and Kelman can all do that and I’m assuming mbick will be the preferred alternative option 

Leaburn won the most aerial duels per 90
of any striker last season and was in the top 2% for % of aerial duels won. He’s good at winning those duels now, people just have unrealistic expectations 

He may win them, they just don't go to anyone. IMO he's poor and nowhere near championship level. 

Agreed - Dykes showed how to do it 

Agreed. A few people on here said we could do better than Dykes, but the reality is we couldn’t even afford him. I think some of our supporters still seriously underestimate just how limited our budget actually is.

We can do better than Dykes .  

I worry that this has been “lol” ed twice and people think that Dykes is the best forward we can get . We have at least 2 better that we actually own ! 

TheAddicks4Ever

SouthLincsAddick said:

I think it could be a breakthrough season for Leaburn, but I hope it’s on loan for another team. He’s surprisingly skilful for a big unit but he needs to develop his game. He gets bullied despite his strength. He often pleads the victim to the ref when he’s fouled (and he is fouled a lot) but it doesn’t work, he needs to get a bit more ‘dark arts’. His decision making in attack is at times poor too. All things that can be learnt and taught. He has the ability, I just don’t think he can learn it in a Championship team that will be battling again for survival. He needs game time and a regular starting place. There was a reason Dykes was offered a contract.

Completely agree with South Lincs Addick here…been saying this all last season Leaburn needs to go on loan to a League One club play week in week out to develop his game and discover his strengths.  

It’s critical he goes out on loan, otherwise he will never be an asset for Charlton (either to sell or be successful at this level) 

stjohnshill

A friend of mine was at the Preston training ground this morning. 

He confirmed to me the two clubs agreed a fee but TC refused to move up north, which is good news for now but suggests negotiations on a contract extension have not gone well and the club have no option but to cash in 

NabySarr

stjohnshill said:

A friend of mine was at the Preston training ground this morning. 

He confirmed to me the two clubs agreed a fee but TC refused to move up north, which is good news for now but suggests negotiations on a contract extension have not gone well and the club have no option but to cash in 

Are you a part of a wider EFL ITK group? 

SouthLincsAddick

stjohnshill said:

A friend of mine was at the Preston training ground this morning. 

He confirmed to me the two clubs agreed a fee but TC refused to move up north, which is good news for now but suggests negotiations on a contract extension have not gone well and the club have no option but to cash in 

Thanks for sharing! It sounds like he’s set on running his contract down, which is absolutely his right and, financially, probably the smartest move for him. Sometimes a player’s development just outpaces what a club can realistically offer them. Nobody’s really at fault, it’s just one of those things that happens in football.