Charlton Athletic told to avoid being a 'laughing stock' with Bolton Wanderers move | OneFootball

Charlton Athletic have been urged to avoid a move for Bolton Wanderers forward John McAtee in the January transfer window.

Charlton Athletic have been urged to avoid trying to sign Bolton Wanderers forward John McAtee in the January transfer window after The Addicks were linked with him in the summer.

Having steered clear of the bottom three and the relegation places last season, following their League One play-off winning campaign in the 2024-25 season, Charlton supporters would have been expecting the club to push on further this time around.

They made a very strong start to the campaign, too, with a come from behind win against Derby County before victories against West Ham United and Preston North End in their opening three matches.

However, since moving into September, Nathan Jones’ South Londoners now head into the international break on the back of three draws and two defeats in their last five matches, including a 3-1 defeat to previously winless Cardiff City at the weekend.

The expectation is already that Charlton will seek to strengthen when the winter window rolls around but they have been urged to avoid a move for McAtee.

Charlton urged not to try and sign John McAtee

Soccer Football - League One - Play Off - Semi Final - Second Leg - Bolton Wanderers v Barnsley - Toughsheet Community Stadium, Bolton, Britain - May 7, 2024 Bolton Wanderers' Ricardo Almeida Santos in action with Barnsley's John Mcatee Action Images/Lee Smith EDITORIAL USE ONLY. NO USE WITH UNAUTHORIZED AUDIO, VIDEO, DATA, FIXTURE LISTS, CLUB/LEAGUE LOGOS OR 'LIVE' SERVICES. ONLINE IN-MATCH USE LIMITED TO 120 IMAGES, NO VIDEO EMULATION. NO USE IN BETTING, GAMES OR

Due to an injury to Ruben Rodrigues, John McAtee started Bolton’s opening four games of the season and he put in an impressive performance on the opening day as The Trotters defeated Preston by two goals to one.

Failure to make much of an impression as well as some glaring missed chances as Wanderers then went winless in his other starts eventually led to Rodrigues regaining his spot more or less as soon as he had rushed back from injury.

In the aftermath of that performance against Preston, McAtee was said to be the subject of interest from Charlton as well as Cardiff, Lincoln City and Sheffield Wednesday.

A move did not come to fruition and now he has moved back down the pecking order for Steven Schumacher’s Whites, and FLW’s Charlton Fan Pundit Chris Woodward believes the club should avoid making a move for him in the winter.

Chris says: “I would be staying as far away from John McAtee as possible.

“We definitely do need someone who can play as an attacking midfielder and someone who can play as a right-winger but he is definitely not one we should be looking at.

“With the greatest respect to Bolton, we would be moving backwards if we signed players from them who aren’t good enough to start week in week out.

“He’s not Championship proven. He comes off what was a poor League One campaign last season. There is nothing to suggest he improves us.

“Even his best season, where he got 12 goals and five assists in League One – Harvey Knibbs put up better numbers for a worse side in that division in a more recent season, and he can’t get into our team in a position we are so desperate for.

“We are in a position where we don’t need depth for our side but actual proven quality in each position, which he does not provide.

“Bearing in mind he would cost a fee as well, it would just be a waste of money.

“I have nothing against McAtee but the recruitment team would make themselves look like an absolute laughing stock if this is the type of player we are looking at to make us progress.”

Charlton could do with reinforcing their attack

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Following their promotion, Charlton made a bit of a splash in the transfer market last summer with the additions of Charlie Kelman and Tanto Olaofe up-front, Rob Apter out-wide as well as Sonny Carey and Harvey Knibbs in attacking midfield.

Kelman has underwhelmed since his £5 million move to The Valley, not helped by injuries and the more conservative approach of Jones in comparison to his previous manager Richie Wellens, whom he thrived under Leyton Orient.

Olaofe and Apter found themselves loaned out in the second half of last season with the former again out on loan this time around, too.

This summer saw Karlan Grant return to the club to strengthen up-front as well as the purchases of wingers Millenic Alli and Junior Nkeng from Luton Town and AFC Wimbledon, respectively.

Goal-shy Charlton have often been reluctant to be too proactive in the final third under the management of Jones, such is his style. While effective, it does tend to limit them against similarly obdurate opposition, as shown by back-to-back goalless draws at home against Queens Park Rangers and Portsmouth this month.

In fact, no team has scored fewer than Charlton in the Championship and they have comfortably the lowest expected goals record in the division thus far.

Whether it be a tactical tweak or more quality required in January, there must surely be a feeling that something has to evolve – but McAtee isn’t the answer at newly-promoted Bolton and therefore perhaps shouldn’t be the answer for Charlton either.