Charlton Athletic are on the verge of signing Ipswich Town striker Gassan Ahadme in a £1 million deal, according to The East Anglian Daily Times.
The Addicks have lost top scorer Alfie May to Birmingham City and have replaced him with Coventry City striker Matt Godden, but Ahadme remains on the shopping list.
Manager Nathan Jones is reportedly willing to pay a seven-figure fee for the Spain-born striker who impressed on loan at Cambridge United last season, scoring 11 times in 29 outings for The U’s.
The 23-year-old began his English football career with Norwich City and Portsmouth before securing a move to Burton Albion. He had only played 16 matches, scoring five goals, before The Tractor Boys came calling, spending a reported £300,000 on the hitman.
His spell with the Suffolk side did not turn out how either would have hoped and he now looks set for the exit door and a move to The Valley. Ahadme was sent on loan twice during his time at Portman Road, firstly back to the Brewers before his season-long spell at the Abbey Stadium.
Charlton endured a disappointing campaign last season and Jones has acted fast to go someway to replacing the goals of May.
The former Luton Town manager has added Will Mannion to the goalkeeping department, Alex Mitchell and Josh Edwards to his defensive options and former Hatter Luke Berry to his midfield. He will be hopeful that Ahadme and Godden can strike up a partnership to replace May’s goals and push the club up the table to challenge at the right end.
Writer’s View
This is great business for Ipswich, more than trebling their money on a player who has spent most of his time with the club on loan.
Scoring 11 times in a struggling Cambridge side last term is a good return for the striker and proof he can perform in League One. However, the size of the transfer fee is eye-opening.
There can’t be many teams in the third tier who are willing and able to spend seven figures on a striker who, until last season, had not managed more than 14 games and four goals in a senior football season.
