Charlton Athletic should submit Chelsea transfer offer to fix Addicks issue | OneFootball

Caleb Wiley is available for loan once again, and Charlton Athletic should be right in the mix for the Chelsea full-back

Charlton Athletic are set to play consecutive Championship campaigns for the first time in over a decade next season, and the main focus will, again, be on ensuring that they stay above the dreaded relegation line throughout the entire year.

The Addicks began last season like a house on fire, using the momentum gained from their play-off final victory in League One to find themselves in the top six in early November.

They may have slid down the table from there, but if you'd offered a Charlton fan a 19th-placed finish in their first season back in the second tier in six years this time last year, they'd have snapped your hand off.

One thing that the Addicks did brilliantly throughout last season was their use of the loan market, especially in January. The additions of Harry Clarke, Conor Coady, Luke Chambers and Jayden Fevrier, alongside James Bree earlier in the summer, all chipped in with big minutes and performances to help keep the bottom three at arm's length.

But the disappointment with that comes through the fact that they'll all need to be replaced this summer, especially at left wing-back, where Chambers played the majority of games in the second half of the season.

Charlton Athletic should target Chelsea's Caleb Wiley this summer

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Amari'i Bell was used as a left centre-back for the majority of last season under Nathan Jones. If that's where the Welshman wants the 32-year-old to play next year, then someone new will have to come in to play on the left in the wing-back/left midfielder role.

Caleb Wiley looks set to be available for another loan spell this summer from Chelsea, per The Athletic. The 21-year-old cost the Blues £8.5 million back in 2024 after breaking through as a teenager in the MLS for Atlanta United, but has yet to play at Stamford Bridge.

As is the case with the majority of promising Chelsea players who need senior football to develop, he was immediately sent to fellow BlueCo club Strasbourg on loan, but only made six Ligue 1 appearances before being recalled and sent to Watford that January.

After 10 promising appearances at Vicarage Road to close out the 2024/25 campaign, he moved back to the Hornets for the full campaign last summer, but only managed five second-tier outings due to various injuries and was sent back to Stamford Bridge midway through the campaign.

A significant recent injury history could be seen as a red flag for any potential suitors, as they'd likely want to use their loan slots on players they know will be able to play the majority of the season for them, but the Addicks have struck gold with players with poor treatment room records recently.

Indeed, Chambers arrived at the Valley from Liverpool in January, having played just two senior games since October 2024, when his loan spell at Wigan Athletic was curtailed with a back injury. He did make a brief return to the Latics in March, but only managed a couple of games before a recurrence.

The 21-year-old was ever-present in the matchday squad in 19 Championship fixtures during his loan spell at Charlton, though, with no signs of injury bothering him, a sign that, if Wiley finds himself in southeast London this summer, he could maintain his fitness throughout an entire campaign.

Caleb Wiley would be a brilliant signing if he can stay healthy for Charlton Athletic

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It seems a long time ago now, since Wiley was tearing up the MLS as a teenager, but there's a reason why Chelsea spent a decent seven-figure fee on him a couple of years ago. If he can rediscover that form at Charlton, the Addicks would have themselves a real coup on loan.

During the 2023 season, the 21-year-old's final full campaign before his Chelsea move, Wiley scored four times and assisted a further four from left-wing-back.

Per Fotmob, he ranked in the top 20% of players in his position for chances created, big chances created, and touches in the opposition's box, too, indicating that, at his best, he can get up and down the touchline and contribute to attacks, as well as be a dependable defender.

Those attributes would be brilliant for the Addicks next season in their quest to better their 19th-placed finish and work towards being a more established side in the Championship.

His fitness would be a question mark initially. But, if Charlton can oversee a campaign where he plays 35-40 times in the Championship, it would massively benefit Wiley in terms of his development within the EFL, while also giving Nathan Jones a dependable wing-back who could flourish under him.