Charlton Athletic set to face 'very difficult' Matty Godden decision | OneFootball

FLW's Addicks fan pundit has discussed the future of the 34-year-old.

Charlton Athletic boss Nathan Jones will need to make a difficult decision between now and the end of the season, with striker Matty Godden set to be out of contract in the summer as things stand.

Godden joined Charlton from Coventry City for an undisclosed fee last summer, before going on to score 22 goals in all competitions during the 2024/25 season to help the Addicks win promotion to the Championship via the play-offs.

The 34-year-old scored a number of vital goals over the course of the campaign, including a winner against Birmingham City, a late equaliser against Wrexham, and the goal that sent Charlton to Wembley against Wycombe Wanderers in the play-off semi-final.

It has since been revealed that Godden played through a lot of pain during the second half of last season to help Charlton get promoted, and he only returned to action last month following a lengthy spell on the sidelines due to the knee injury that he had been struggling with.

Now, he will be hoping to make an impact in the Championship between now and the end of the season, not only to help the club survive in the second tier, but also to convince Nathan Jones to trigger a one-year extension clause in his contract to keep him at The Valley for another season.

Nathan Jones faces "difficult" Matty Godden decision

We asked our Charlton fan pundit, Chris Woodward, whether he thinks that Godden's career in SE7 is coming to an end, or if he can see Nathan Jones deciding to trigger the one-year extension clause in his contract.

"At this moment, I think it is impossible to call whether Godden will be here next summer," Chris said.

"It could go either way. Godden brings experience, he is a great character in the dressing room, he is loved by the fans, the manager, and the players, and he offers something very unique in this team with his intelligence, movement and finishing.

"All our other forwards, besides Dykes, are very raw, so I can definitely see the benefits of keeping him around.

"Alternatively, you can look at it and think he will be 35 this summer, and we have no idea how much his recent injury will affect him long-term.

"We have Kelman, Olaofe, Campbell, Mbick, Kanu, Leaburn, Ahadme and Dykes all potentially with us next season, so there is definitely also an argument for trying to move forward without him.

"For me, it is too early to call. I think we need to wait until the end of the season to see how he performs, what his wages are like in comparison to the rest of the squad, what the future holds for our other forwards, and whether we have identified any other gems we want to invest in this summer.

"It will be a very difficult decision."

Godden spoke about his future in a recent interview with South London Sport: Charlton Athletic Edition, and he made it clear that he has no intention of ending his career any time soon.

"I feel like I can play until I'm 40," Godden said.

"I've got that kind of body and mindset that I feel I could do it."

The striker may be turning 35 in July, but he is not the kind of forward who relies on pace, so if his movement, instinct and natural finishing ability can enable him to score a few goals between now and the end of the season, there is every chance Jones will decide to keep him at The Valley beyond this summer.