Charlton Athletic transfer doubts cast - "I don't think we can afford" £3.5m Hull City man | OneFootball

The Addicks have been linked with a move for the Tigers' outcast.

Charlton Athletic are facing a key transfer window if they are to improve on last season's showing and steer clear of Championship relegation.

The Addicks made a host of new signings last summer following their promotion from League One via the play-offs, but most of them made little impact.

Nathan Jones' side started the season well, losing just three of their opening 14 league games, but they fell away with a string of injuries exposing their lack of depth.

So far, Charlton have signed Karlan Grant and Danny McNamara on free transfers, while Ivan Mesic and Billy Koumetio have also arrived, but now the South East London side have been linked with a familiar EFL name.

Why Charlton Athletic should swerve deal for Hull City's Abu Kamara

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There have been several reports about Abu Kamara's immediate future, with his former club Portsmouth linked with bringing him back to Fratton Park.

However, it has been revealed that Pompey face competition from Championship rivals Charlton Athletic, who could move to sign the 23-year-old right-winger.

Kamara featured twice in the league for Hull City last term before joining Getafe on a season-long loan, where he made just 12 La Liga appearances without yielding a single goal or assist.

When asked whether his club could afford a permanent deal for the forward and whether he would be happy to see him arrive at The Valley, FLW's Charlton fan pundit Chris Woodward raised several concerns.

"At this moment in time, I don't think we can afford the rumoured £3.5m price tag for Kamara to bring in permanently from Hull," Chris told Football League World.

"Last season, we were willing to invest in young talents and hope they develop so we can make a profit. It hasn't worked out so far.

"This summer, we look to be changing our transfer strategy by going for sensible, shrewd business looking for value, so I can't see us throwing money at Kamara, especially since a central midfielder is the club's number one priority at present.

"In addition, I'm not entirely convinced by Kamara. He was brilliant at Pompey in League One but failed to impress Hull fans in the Championship and has obviously come off a really poor season.

"I also doubt he is the right fit for the fundamentals of the Nathan Jones team in terms of his attitude and the physical side of the game.

"He is a very talented footballer, but I don't think this would be a suitable move for both us and Kamara himself, and especially for the price tag being mentioned."

Would Abu Kamara be worth a punt for Charlton Athletic?

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Given Charlton's change in transfer approach this summer, paying a significant fee to land Kamara would certainly not fit their model.

Last season was obviously not his best, and the forward certainly has a point to prove if he is to revive his career in the Championship.

The London-born winger's last full season in the second tier came in the 2024/25 campaign with the Tigers, where he notched five goals and three assists in 36 appearances.

Kamara demonstrated his clinical finishing ability that term by outscoring his expected goals (xG) of 3.90, while he also created seven big chances, more than over 79 per cent of Championship right-wingers, according to Fotmob.

However, there have been question marks over his attitude, which might be enough to deter the Addicks from accelerating their reported interest with a bid.

In January 2025, Kamara was criticised by Hull supporters after posting emojis on Portsmouth's social media account after they secured a win over Swansea City on New Year's Day.

This caused a stir among the Tigers fanbase because of the winger's involvement in the build up to Middlesbrough's winning goal over the Humberside outfit.

However, he apologised, with manager Ruben Selles addressing the matter via BBC Sport: "Abu knows it was bad timing and we've talked to him and the group about it but the main thing for me is we can all make mistakes and understand the situation from both sides,"

When weighing up the potential transfer, it feels unliklely that Charlton would move for Kamara given his value and recent form, but he does need to prove his worth if he is to forge a career back in England.