Charlton Athletic should offer departing Bolton Wanderers star a Championship lifeline | OneFootball

Charlton will be on the hunt for a right back this summer, and recently released Jordi Osei-Tutu could fill that gap

Charlton Athletic's return to the Championship had its ups and downs, but, overall, it was a successful campaign as the Addicks avoided immediate relegation.

Nathan Jones' side got off to a flying start, and by November, many were getting carried away about the possibility of making a run to the play-offs. Reality did hit, and a five-game losing run saw them start to slide back down the table.

However, a 19th-placed finish would have been more than accepted at the Valley before the campaign kicked off, as it means that Charlton will be spending consecutive years at this level for the first time in a decade.

The main storyline surrounding the Addicks' season, though, was their right back situation. James Bree was arguably Charlton's best player through the first half of the campaign, so good that Southampton kept him when he returned in January, and he'd become a part of a promotion-challenging side at St Mary's.

Nathan Jones then turned to another loanee, Ipswich Town's Harry Clarke, until the end of the season, who also performed well, but he now returns to Portman Road, where the Tractor Boys have an option to extend his contract through to 2027.

It'll be likely that one of the first ports of call in the summer window at the Valley is to have a right-wing-back who Charlton can call theirs, and departing Bolton Wanderers man, Jordi Osei-Tutu, could fit the bill.

Jordi Osei-Tutu will be a free agent after helping Bolton Wanderers into the Championship

Bolton finally ended their seven-year exile from the Championship by prevailing in the League One play-offs at the third time of asking this season, beating Stockport County 4-1 in the final.

There's set to be a lot of change at the Toughsheet this summer as the Trotters gear up for the second tier, with 11 senior players, either on loan or in the final year of their contracts, set to depart the club.

One of the more surprising exits was right back Jordi Osei-Tutu, who had just come off arguably his best season in senior football, as he went through the entire campaign without facing any serious injury, and was an important part of Steven Schumacher's backline.

The Arsenal academy product couldn't ever get going in loan spells with the likes of Cardiff City, Rotherham United and Nottingham Forest, but since arriving at Bolton in the summer of 2024, he's remained relatively injury-free.

He wasn't immediately the first choice under Ian Evatt, and was also used predominantly off the left wing, but this season, he's emerged as a quality attacking right-back under Steven Schumacher, making 36 league appearances and playing every minute of their play-off winning run.

Ultimately, Bolton thinks they can get an upgrade this summer, but his name on the retained list did confuse some Trotters fans. They believe that the 27-year-old is very much capable of playing Championship football, and Charlton could offer that opportunity.

Jordi Osei-Tutu could be exactly what Charlton Athletic need next season

The wing-back positions are arguably the most important in Nathan Jones' system at Charlton, as they're expected to do plenty of defensive work, but also have the quality going forward to hurt defences.

Osei-Tutu has shown that, if he can stay injury-free, he can be that type of player. This season was the first time that the 27-year-old has played over 2,000 league minutes in his career, and he'll be keen to ensure that it isn't just a one-off.

The right back is also from Slough, which is just outside London, and, as mentioned, came up through the Arsenal academy. A switch to Charlton would allow him to move back closer to home after a couple of years in Greater Manchester.

With the Addicks in need of a new right back for next season, and Osei-Tutu showing this season that he can be at the level required to play in the Championship, it should be a no-brainer for a move to be made.

Then, the 27-year-old will be out hoping to prove to Bolton that he could have been worthy of a new contract as they venture into the second tier, too.