West Ham player signs: How Charlton Athletic's dream January transfer window looks | OneFootball

Nathan Jones has laid out his intentions for the upcoming winter window.

Charlton Athletic have enjoyed a positive return to the Championship during the early months of the 2025/26 season, but Nathan Jones is still keen to strengthen his squad during the January transfer window.

Naturally, before the season started, there were many that doubted the Addicks would be able to survive in the second tier following their promotion from League One, especially considering they came up alongside two financial powerhouses in Birmingham City and Wrexham, but Nathan Jones' side have so far shown that they belong at this level.

They have a manager who knows how to get results in the Championship, a defensive record that is right up there with the best in the division, and a home stadium that not many sides will look forward to visiting, so there is no reason why they cannot make this a season to remember during the remainder of the campaign.

Charlton invested in their playing squad during the summer transfer window, bringing in a number of players to ensure they were suitably prepared for the step-up in quality, and the likes of Thomas Kaminski, Amari'i Bell and Sonny Carey have settled in quickly in South East London and made a real impact so far this season.

Now, Nathan Jones is already looking ahead to the January transfer window and considering ways in which he can further add to his squad, as per his recent interview with Sky Sports.

"There are probably two positions we would like to strengthen in, and that's it," Jones said.

"We've kept a real tight squad. If we want to be relentless in the second half of the season, we're going to need that competition, that quality, that pure athleticism in every game."

The Welshman has also made it clear that he is not interested in any key players leaving his dressing room during the winter window, as per South London Sport: Charlton Athletic Edition.

"I'll say to you now that we will try to improve every single window. We have an ownership group and a board that are aligned with that and want to do that.

"The only thing we'll do in the January transfer window is strengthen the squad. We won't go backwards."

With the Addicks set to try and bring in two new acquisitions in January, let's take a look at a few potential transfer targets who could make it into a dream window at The Valley.

James Bree

With Jones keen to strengthen in two positions during the January transfer window, it is almost certain that right wing-back is one of them.

The Addicks signed James Bree on loan from divisional rivals Southampton in the summer, and the 27-year-old has played a key role in SE7 since then.

Bree has made several contributions in the final third as well as being part of a solid Charlton defence, with his performances earning him nominations for both the Championship Player of the Month and Goal of the Month awards in September.

The defender's loan deal is set to expire in January, so a dream transfer window for Charlton would include striking a deal with the Saints to keep Bree at the club permanently.

Nathan Jones has indicated that he would like to retain the services of Bree beyond January, so there is every possibility that he could extend his stay at The Valley when the transfer window rolls around.

Shinnosuke Fukuda

Another option for Charlton in that area of the pitch could be Japanese right-back Shinnosuke Fukuda, who was linked with a move to The Valley during the summer transfer window.

The Addicks saw a bid for the 25-year-old rejected in July, but they may be able to sign him in January if his current club, Kyoto Sanga, are unable to tie him down to a new deal before his existing terms expire in December.

The prospect of playing Championship football is likely to be attractive for Fukuda given his ambitions of representing Japan at the 2026 FIFA World Cup next summer, as performing regularly in a more reputable league may well give him a better chance of catching the eyes of national team selectors.

Fukuda is dangerous in the final third and aggressive in the press, making him well suited to the right wing-back position in Nathan Jones' system, which, combined with the novelty of signing a player from the J1 League, would mean signing him could well be part of a dream window in SE7.

Ollie Scarles

It is slightly more difficult to predict the second position that Jones wants to strengthen in during the January transfer window, but it could well be left wing-back, as the Addicks have been short of options there in the absence of Josh Edwards and Amari'i Bell through injuries.

If Charlton are looking for a short-term solution in that area of the pitch, they could consider making a move to sign West Ham United teenager Ollie Scarles on loan.

Scarles is set to return from a fractured collar bone in December, and with the Hammers potentially set to be embroiled in a relegation battle during the second half of the season, they may be willing to loan out the young full-back in favour of relying on more experienced professionals.

The 19-year-old has made 17 Premier League appearances during his short career so far, so he could add some quality to Charlton's left-hand side during the second half of the season if Jones is willing to delve into the loan market and the Irons are willing to sanction his temporary departure.