Charlton Athletic are close to signing Coventry City striker Matt Godden according to journalist Alan Nixon.
The move comes with Addicks striker Alfie May set to join Birmingham City following a transfer saga which also saw him heavily linked with League One rivals Huddersfield Town.
With May close to a move to the West Midlands, the South London outfit have seemingly acted swiftly to bag an immediate replacement. Coventry striker Godden is said to have rejected a move to newly-promoted Oxford United to drop down a division and join Charlton.
Godden signed for his current club in 2019, and has scored 50 goals in 156 games, starring in the 2022-23 season where the Sky Blues were one game away from the Premier League, losing to Luton Town on penalties. The 32-year-old is not getting any younger though, with new signings Haji Wright and Ellis Simms ahead in the pecking order going into the 2024-25 season. It’s this which is said to have instigated a move, with Godden clearly willing to move down to League One for more minutes.
The Canterbury-born striker does have a wealth of third-tier experience which would stand to benefit Charlton, having spent two seasons in the division with his current side and former club Peterborough United. This experience has clearly caught the eye at The Valley, as the Addicks look to improve on last season’s disappointing 16th-place finish.
Godden would be the club’s fifth signing of the season alongside the likes of Luke Berry and Alex Mitchell, with manager Nathan Jones clearly keen to return the club to the Championship. Charlton are already one of the favourites to gain promotion this season, and signing Godden would really strengthen these ambitions.
Writer’s View
This deal is a sign of Charlton’s ambitions for the season, with Godden a proven Championship forward. It also shows how organised they are in the window that Alfie May hasn’t even left yet and a replacement is close. It’s this organisation and ambition that backs up claims that they will be near the top of the table this season, with Nathan Jones clearly not messing around.
As for Godden this is a great move, he’ll be the undisputed main man up front, and with any luck he’ll only be spending one season back down in the third tier.
