Nathan Jones surely won’t be regretting Charlton Athletic transfer decision despite Charlie Kelman issue | OneFootball

Charlie Kelman's Charlton Athletic struggles won't have any impact on this deal

Charlton Athletic have begun their return to the Championship in competitive fashion.

The Addicks find themselves lodged within the second-tier’s mid pack after the campaign’s opening stanza, picking up points in four of their first six outings.

After a victory over Watford in the first game of the season, Nathan Jones’ side experienced stalemates against Bristol City and Millwall and were only denied victory against the latter due to a Raees Bangura-Williams equaliser two minutes from time.

Defeats at the hands of Leicester City and QPR have been a low point, but those two were always going to throw up stern tests and ruining Chris Wilder’s Sheffield United return with a winner at the death courtesy of Isaac Olaofe at Bramall Lane last weekend will provide Charlton with a fresh source of momentum.

The Addicks made a number of additions during the summer window to best prepare them for a survival bid this term, with the most high-profile acquisition being that of striker Charlie Kelman from QPR.

Charlton forked out an initial £3.5 million for the 23-year-old and could end up paying £5 million if certain add-ons are met, which highlights just how much Jones wanted to bring him to the Valley.

Kelman is still yet to get going for his new club, which could be a potential source of concern for supporters. The forward is yet to score in his first eight outings and hasn’t looked capable of producing the performances that saw him net 27 times in all competitions for Leyton Orient last term. What's perhaps more concerning than the lack of goals is Kelman's inability, to date, to impact matches in terms of his all-round game, with the ex-QPR striker offering precious little in his opening encounters.

Despite Kelman’s slow start, Jones and Co. likely won’t feel much regret over another transfer decision this summer, which could’ve potentially aided their pursuit of goals.

Charlton Athletic won’t ponder Gassan Ahadme decision despite Charlie Kelman’s form

Gassan Ahadme signed for Charlton in 2024 and went on to make 19 League One appearances as they were promoted to the Championship.

The forward struggled to make much of an impact in the Addicks’ squad whilst in the third-tier, so it’s logical that Jones decided he didn’t have a role to play this year.

Given Kelman’s struggles, some may argue that it would benefit Charlton at this moment in time to have an option such as Ahadme within the club’s ranks, to offer an alternative at different stages of the season.

However, the striker is currently failing to break into the Stevenage starting 11 and has scored just one league goal during his time at the Lamex Stadium thus far.

Although Kelman still hasn’t found his form, his previous goalscoring credentials mean that he is a much safer bet to lead Charlton’s line.

Furthermore, operators such as Miles Leaburn offer a much more serious threat than Ahadme, which is another reason why there won’t be any regret about loaning him out.

Charlton Athletic have to give Charlie Kelman adequate time to adapt

Kelman arrived at the Valley under a lot of pressure, due to the price tag he commanded and his previous goalscoring exploits.

This could explain why he has failed to perform thus far, with the amount of noise surrounding his move having a negative effect on his ability to focus.

However, the 23-year-old is still adapting to his new surroundings and will be learning how to combine with his teammates effectively on the pitch.

Once he is fully settled in, there is no reason why Kelman can’t pick up where he left off last season and cause problems for defences up and down the Championship.