Charlton Athletic suffer transfer blow with just days left until the deadline | OneFootball

Charlton Athletic have missed out in the race to sign Junior Ligue

Charlton Athletic are set to miss out on the signing of Junior Ligue to Italian side Venezia after a spectacular turnaround.

According to Swiss outlet 4-4-2, the Addicks have been unable to win the race to sign the 20-year-old despite making two offers to bring him to the club this month.

The London outfit were believed to be winning the race to his signature, but the Serie B have swooped in with a superior offer.

The defender has impressed in the Swiss Super League this season, and is considered an exciting, promising young talent.

He’s made nine appearances for Zurich this term, including five starts, and has played a total of 54 times in the top flight at this point in his career.

Charlton Athletic miss out on Junior Ligue signing

Charlton have lost the race to sign Ligue from Zurich this January after a permanent deal was struck with Venezia.

The Addicks were keen on a loan with an option to buy clause, but an agreement worth €2.5 (£2.1) million has been made with the Swiss and Italian clubs.

Nathan Jones has been looking to bolster his defensive options this January, and the Championship side were considered the leading contenders to sign Ligue.

However, they will now have to turn their attention to alternative targets, and it has already been reported that the London outfit have agreed a deal with Wrexham to sign Conor Coady on loan for the second half of the campaign.

Charlton are seeking survival in the second division at the first time of asking, having been promoted from League One last season.

The Addicks are currently 19th in the Championship table, three points clear of the relegation zone after 28 fixtures.

Next up for Jones’ side is a trip to face Leicester City on 31 January in a 12.30pm kick-off.

Junior Ligue development is a setback for Charlton

The signing of Coady on loan for the remainder of the season could prove a smart short-term solution to aid the club’s bid for survival.

But the long-term impact of missing out on someone like Ligue is a blow to the team’s progress, as he is a player that could’ve proven himself an important part of the squad over the next few years.

The immediate priority is staying in the division, and Coady should help with that, but he will return to Wrexham in the summer and can’t be relied upon beyond then.

It’s clear that defensive reinforcement is needed, but it would’ve been an exciting signing to bring in a young prospect from the Swiss Super League.