Summer Window 2026 - Rumours and Discussion

Gribbo said:

Redhenry said:

I still think we may surprise some with a couple of decent fees for players. Finger crossed, WIOTOS

I wonder what people consider to be a decent fee, assuming it means a lot of dough, rather than paying a good price for a player i.e - Under market value?

Ridiculous!

This is Charlton Life. Posters will only be happy if we pay over market value...

Very late to the party on this but just seen Charlton will get around £115k for Dykes being at the world cup. A shame that Jamaica didn't qualify because with Anderson, TC & Bell that would've been a tidy little sum.

If we really do move to 4 at the back, could that mean we sign no more defenders? With Ramsey/Burke/Colins being our RB options? 

Giving us more of the budget to bring in the ideally 2 CM, 1 x RW option and 1 x LW option?

killerandflash said:

cafc-4-life said:

ShootersHillGuru said:

Fortune 82nd Minute said:

Despite all the speculation linking Harry Clarke to Bristol City, I don't think he's actually signed for them yet.

I wonder if he is waiting to see what other offers come in for him. And whether we put one in.

Pretty much every decent free agent will be under instructions from their agents to hold out as long as possible.

Also free agents still get paid a % of their previous wage in July. It's something set up by the PFA and it's to support players to find a new club. Was spoken about on the Ben Foster podcast. So that's another reason why players don't rush for the first offer they get in July.

I imagine most players would like to go on the pre season training camp though. A great way to get to know your future teammates, and way more fun than slogging away by yourself in the local gym. And players arriving as free agents late in the summer never seem as fit either.

elbiglad said:

Personally I was never convinced by Gilbert and don't see him as a Nathan Jones type of player. However, not every signing will be a starter and last season should've made it clear to all that we need quality in depth. 

We already have plenty of depth, what we need is a step up in quality, so I'd much rather we signed quality rather than quantity this window. Two or three "next level" players, as we don't need to fill the squad with numbers..

It won't be easy, as we have to encourage better players to sign for us, but that's the challenge.

We have a big squad currently, but I'm not convinced at all by the quality of our depth. Last year we didn't have the depth in either numbers or quality in certain positions and it cost us. We have lost quite a lot of our depth over the summer with our starting LWB, RWB and ST all leaving, plus regular contributors like Coady and Fevrier. That's before accounting for any future sales. The replacements at the moment are players we loaned out and youngsters.

My point is that if Gilbert is signed to fill the Berry or even Anderson role of a periphery squad member, then I think that improves us. However, if he was expected start a majority of games then I wouldn't be as supportive as I'm not convinced by his quality. Signing players like Gilbert on a free to fill out the squad would then allow us to spend more on those two or three 'next level players'; this is sensible squad building. We shouldn't judge every signing in the same way.

It is important to raise the floor of the squad, but these signings are obviously less exciting than buying several top end players. But, importantly, it still improves us as the quality is there if and when these players are thrown in. Even someone like Redmond - who has received a lot of unnecessary and premature criticism - could be seen as shrewd business if he is able to provide valuable top level experience, cover for multiple positions, and half decent performances when called upon. Not sexy, but sensible.

GreenWithEnvy said:

ShootersHillGuru said:

Despite my slight reservations about signings from abroad I would like to see us take a calculated gamble, just as with the other three lads but this time on a striker. We’re in desperate need of more goals and although it still wouldn’t be cheap, it would still be considerably cheaper than looking here. As for midfielders. I’d much prefer to see a couple of proven, experienced Championship players come in. 

I'm getting vibes of Reza, Ronnie and Piotr here,,, if we are going to go down this route the striker will need to have had a good season or two in a decent European league. We won't have time for any 'projects' or we will suffer the second season syndrome and be looking at the drop.

All three of those names were signed by owner not manager. It’s an example of signings without thought. I’d like to think Nathan Jones and Phil Chapple have a bit more nous than that. Two good seasons in a decent league is going to seriously test our budget even from abroad. None of us have a scooby about our two new overseas recruits and not much more about Sichenje. They are all calculated punts. Given what we’re able to spend I’d guess a striker from overseas is going to be very much a Hail Mary signing. That’s not to say they won’t be a success it’s just that it’s a gamble.

NJ said after Friday that the market will be slower for us this summer as we wait for high end quality in the attacking areas. 

For me that suggest Gilbert isn't on the radar and that we are waiting for our first choices to make decisions or offers to be considered, players to come back from the WC etc. Maybe Gilbert is on the options list so there is an interest but only as 2nd or 3rd choice or a cheaper option depending what happens with our preferred options.

My view is we'll sign as couple of midfielders for good fees and then spend some money on wide players if he decides that change in formation works in pre-season.

If we do go with width I'm sure it re-opens the door for Apter and TC's role changes but we'd still need x2 high end wide players.

I’d be massively surprised if Gilbert was being contemplated as a  signing - were after power, pace anc physicality 

scruffle said:

If we really do move to 4 at the back, could that mean we sign no more defenders? With Ramsey/Burke/Colins being our RB options? 

Giving us more of the budget to bring in the ideally 2 CM, 1 x RW option and 1 x LW option?

No because Burke and Sichenje aren't right backs, we'd need to sign one regardless. 

If we continue with the 352, we need 2 RWBs

A signing like Gilbert on a free isn't bad business imo, we're not going to spend massive money on Galbraith types and then have to revert to full on Jones ball, mid table players, squad players like Gilbert and JRC coming in are still a step up in quality from where we have been (and are) and if they play their parts here and there and we finish 18th having played better football then its been a success. 

Evolution not revolution.

Gilbert's a cheap signing in helping the progression of our football, he wouldnt expect to start every match and would know what he's getting with Jones.

Saying that theres probably better for nominal fees out there than him though.

iaitch said:

DOUCHER said:

I’d be massively surprised if Gilbert was being contemplated as a  signing - were after power, pace anc physicality 

Be good if they have some ball control too?

Its very much secondary in a Jones team though. You could have the passing skills of prime De Bruyne but if you don’t press or tackle enough you're losing your spot to Docherty. 
I'm not saying I disagree that we need a bit more finesse in the midfield but we need someone who can do that AS WELL as mix it up. Those players are hard to find and Gilbert definitely is not that.

Addickhead86 said:

elbiglad said:

killerandflash said:

cafc-4-life said:

ShootersHillGuru said:

Fortune 82nd Minute said:

Despite all the speculation linking Harry Clarke to Bristol City, I don't think he's actually signed for them yet.

I wonder if he is waiting to see what other offers come in for him. And whether we put one in.

Pretty much every decent free agent will be under instructions from their agents to hold out as long as possible.

Also free agents still get paid a % of their previous wage in July. It's something set up by the PFA and it's to support players to find a new club. Was spoken about on the Ben Foster podcast. So that's another reason why players don't rush for the first offer they get in July.

I imagine most players would like to go on the pre season training camp though. A great way to get to know your future teammates, and way more fun than slogging away by yourself in the local gym. And players arriving as free agents late in the summer never seem as fit either.

elbiglad said:

Personally I was never convinced by Gilbert and don't see him as a Nathan Jones type of player. However, not every signing will be a starter and last season should've made it clear to all that we need quality in depth. 

We already have plenty of depth, what we need is a step up in quality, so I'd much rather we signed quality rather than quantity this window. Two or three "next level" players, as we don't need to fill the squad with numbers..

It won't be easy, as we have to encourage better players to sign for us, but that's the challenge.

We have a big squad currently, but I'm not convinced at all by the quality of our depth. Last year we didn't have the depth in either numbers or quality in certain positions and it cost us. We have lost quite a lot of our depth over the summer with our starting LWB, RWB and ST all leaving, plus regular contributors like Coady and Fevrier. That's before accounting for any future sales. The replacements at the moment are players we loaned out and youngsters.

My point is that if Gilbert is signed to fill the Berry or even Anderson role of a periphery squad member, then I think that improves us. However, if he was expected start a majority of games then I wouldn't be as supportive as I'm not convinced by his quality. Signing players like Gilbert on a free to fill out the squad would then allow us to spend more on those two or three 'next level players'; this is sensible squad building. We shouldn't judge every signing in the same way.

It is important to raise the floor of the squad, but these signings are obviously less exciting than buying several top end players. But, importantly, it still improves us as the quality is there if and when these players are thrown in. Even someone like Redmond - who has received a lot of unnecessary and premature criticism - could be seen as shrewd business if he is able to provide valuable top level experience, cover for multiple positions, and half decent performances when called upon. Not sexy, but sensible.

But hasn't NJ ready said that we want to bring in 5 starting quality players? The floor of the squad is then raised by players like Doc/Cov becoming the rotation options. I think Berry's departure is already most likely covered by Fullah, Knibbs and Carey.

Exactly. We don't need backup, we need to improve the first choice players. In the advanced role, we already have the likes of Knibbs who was a backup for most of last season, while in the engine room Doc and Cov isn't good enough.

Gilbert was an okish loan player for us in L1 just over a year ago, I'd be staggered if NJ was interested in him in the Championship. Indeed I'd be surprised if any Championship club took him, he needs to go to a L1 side and rebuild his career there.

Athletico Charlton said:

Am I right that so far we have likely spent about £1M, both players we bought rated at about £500K I think, and sold Gillesphy for what £50-100K with Alex Mitchell to almost certainly leave, for maybe £400K?

Hoping there is some real budget for midfield and up front, not the frees we are currently being linked with.  To be fair our purchases are often out of the blue so I am hopeful.

NJ clearly wanted a couple more by now so it's not been an easy window so far I guess. 

I'm glad you put a maybe for some of those fees Athletico, Mitchell's fee may be dictated by the fact that he hasn't played higher than league one. 

I’m surprised nobody’s mentioned Gilbert yet, and whether he might be a good or bad option;)

Devine at preston £6m on sky sports.