Charlton Athletic sent warning over potential Michail Antonio signing - 35-y/o 'would be a waste of wages’ | OneFootball

Charlton Athletic have opened talks with Michail Antonio over a potential deal for the free agent striker.

This article is part of Football League World's 'Terrace Talk' series, which provides personal opinions from our FLW Fan Pundits regarding the latest breaking news, teams, players, managers, potential signings and more…

Charlton Athletic have been told to steer clear of a move for free agent Michail Antonio, and instead put that money towards new signings in the summer window.

The Addicks are fighting to stay in the Championship this season following their promotion, and a crucial win over Stoke City in the week means Nathan Jones’ men are seven points clear of the relegation zone.

Even though they are in a good position to retain their status at this level, Charlton will know they still have work to do to get over the line, and it has been claimed that they are in talks to sign Antonio.

Charlton told to swerve move for experienced free agent Michail Antonio

The 35-year-old has been without a club since his contract with West Ham expired in the summer, which came as he recovered from a broken leg suffered during a car accident in December 2024.

His only game-time since then has been three cameos for Jamaica in the Gold Cup last summer, as well as two under-21's matches for West Ham in August.

However, he has entered into discussions with the Addicks about returning to the game, and the prospect of signing the Jamaica international may appeal to some given his pedigree.

Antonio has proven himself in the Premier League over the years, and his strength and physicality could make him an ideal focal point for Jones’ side.

Yet, there are obvious risks to any deal. Aside from a few brief substitute appearances for the Reggae Boys in the summer, Antonio last played league football in December 2024, so he may take time to get up to speed.

With that in mind, when quizzed by FLW about the prospect of Antonio linking up with the Addicks for the remainder of the campaign, Charlton fan pundit Chris Woodward revealed he had doubts about any deal, as he insists the club would benefit from showing patience and using those funds to strengthen in the summer.

“I’m actually in the minority of Charlton fans here, but I don’t think we should be looking to sign Antonio," Chris told FLW.

“Don’t get me wrong, he is a fantastic footballer who has had an amazing career, but if you look at the facts, he is 35, he was rejected by Leicester, he hasn’t played competitive football in over two years, and then you’re trying to drop him into the most demanding system in the Championship?

“It doesn’t tick all the boxes, especially when you consider we have five forwards at the moment, and we look safe, so I think it would be a waste of wages at present.

“If we start to get injuries up top, I can see us going for Antonio, but, for me, I’d rather save the money we would spend on his wages and use that towards a rebuild when we need to go again in the summer.”

Nathan Jones must be backed to continue Charlton Athletic progress

You can understand the view of both sides of this potential deal, as Antonio has obviously had a brilliant career, but there would be doubts over his ability to make a short-term impact.

Ultimately, the decision should rest with Jones, and the majority of Charlton fans would agree that he deserves to be backed given the excellent job he has done at The Valley since his appointment.

If he feels that they need someone like Antonio, both for his impact on the pitch and in the dressing room, then the hierarchy must do all they can to finalise a deal for the player.

Charlton do have a healthy lead over 22nd-placed Leicester right now, but the past week has shown just how quickly things can change at the bottom, so you can be sure that Jones won’t be letting any complacency creep in.