Charlton Athletic urged to seal late Oxford United transfer | OneFootball

FLW's Charlton fan pundit has named the one player he thinks the club should pursue before the market closes

Charlton Athletic have been quite active in the transfer market this summer following their survival in the Championship.

The Addicks have completed eight signings since securing a 19th place finish in the table in their first year back in the second division.

But Nathan Jones could still look for further reinforcements before the market closes on Tuesday, as he sets his sights on climbing the standings over the course of 2026/27.

The London outfit will have their sights set on potential additions, with just a few days remaining in the transfer window.

Charlton have made a promising start to the new campaign, but could always strengthen as they look to solidify their position at this level.

So far, the club have signed the likes of Millenic Alli, Karlan Grant and Danny McNamara, among others, with Arthur Okonkwo and Timothy Ouma also joining on loan.

Charlton urged to pursue Oxford United deal

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When asked which player he’d most like to see the club sign before the window closes, FLW’s Charlton fan pundit Chris Woodward named Oxford United midfielder Brian de Keersmaecher.

He believes that it’s one area of the team that could use an extra player, and that someone of his quality is exactly what’s missing at the moment.

“It’s kind of difficult to pick a player now with all of our business pretty much done, and our squad in a pretty good place,” Woodward told Football League World.

“Just for an answer, I’m still a massive fan of Brian de Keersmaecher from Oxford.

“We’ve a lot of midfield options, but Mwamba is still young, Ouma is an unknown quantity, Chalobah is injury prone and Docherty and Coventry struggle to play together.

“We don’t have many midfielders with the profile of Brian de Keersmaecher, who can unlock a defence with his passing ability, and he can also commit a high number of chances.

“He’s a very good set piece taker, which Charlton like to exploit in games.”

Woodward also believed that de Keersmaecher is someone that could become quite a valuable asset given he is still just 26, and that he could still develop into someone worth a lot more than what the Addicks will have to pay to sign him.

“He would also come with proven Championship quality, which would be beneficial, and is a player that can develop as well, with potential to make good profit on in the future,” he added.

“He also has a release clause, and wants to play at a higher level, which could help someone like Charlton land him at a cheaper price.

“I’m a big fan of him, and if there was even a small chance that we could land him, I’d definitely look at doing so.”

Brian de Keersmaecker's Championship credentials

De Keersmaecker made the move to Oxford last summer, and he went on to make 26 appearances in the Championship, contributing one goal and five assists.

However, the club’s relegation to League One could open the door to him making the switch somewhere before the market closes on 1 September.

But it remains to be seen whether Charlton will pursue a deal for the midfielder, or if they will settle with what they have.

De Keersmaecker has not featured for the U’s so far this season, having recovered from undergoing shoulder surgery earlier this year.

The 26-year-old’s last appearance for Oxford came in January, coming off the bench in a 2-1 win against Leicester City in which he provided an assist.

Charlton return to action on Saturday with a 3pm kick-off against Preston North End, as they look to make it three wins from three this month.

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Brian de Keersmaecker signing has potential for Charlton

While Oxford did suffer relegation last season, it is easy to wonder what might’ve happened had de Keersmaecker stayed fit given it was only four points from safety.

He is someone that has proven himself at a Championship level, and has shown that he can produce in attack.

If the cost of a deal can remain relatively low due to a release clause, then it would be a great piece of business for the Addicks, if it can be pulled off.

There will be some concerns over his lack of minutes since January, but it shouldn’t be enough to put off any prospective Championship clubs who might want to sign him before Tuesday.