Stevenage have confirmed the loan capture of Gassan Ahadme from Charlton Athletic, adding further firepower to Alex Revell’s squad ahead of a demanding League One campaign.
The 24-year-old striker links up with Boro following a string of EFL loans and spells at Burton Albion, Ipswich Town, and Cambridge United. His last transfer, between Ipswich and Charlton, was thought to have been worth £1 million by website Transfermarkt.
Revell secures long-time target
Speaking about his new addition, Revell revealed that Ahadme had been a long-term target and offers something different to what the club already possess.
“He’s someone we’ve watched and tried to get for a few windows now,” said the Stevenage boss. “He’s a number nine, a target man, and we’ve needed that for games when space isn’t there or we need to change how the game looks.”
Born in Vic, Spain, Ahadme came through Norwich City’s academy before making a name for himself at Burton Albion, scoring six goals in his initial stint there. A move to Ipswich Town followed, but he found regular minutes hard to come by and was sent out on loan to Cambridge United for the 2023–24 season, where he impressed with 11 goals in 29 league games.
Ahadme joined Charlton Athletic last summer on a four-year deal but has found the net only once in 19 league outings so far. Still, Revell is confident that the striker’s desire to prove himself will benefit Stevenage greatly.
“I like people who are hungry, people who want to come in and make an impact,” he added. “Last season we relied heavily on Reidy and we can’t do that again. Gassan and Jovan (Malcolm) will give us more options up front, and he’s already fitted in brilliantly.”
Ahadme is considered match-fit, having featured in Charlton’s pre-season and scoring twice against Southend United. Revell confirmed the striker would be gradually eased into the team, but is expected to challenge for a starting spot soon.
“He’s trained, he’s played, and he’s fit. We’ll work with him to get him up to our level, but we’re confident he can slot into games as we go.”
The former Morocco youth international will wear the number to be confirmed for Stevenage this season.
Writer’s View
This feels like a quietly smart signing for Stevenage. Gassan Ahadme brings height, presence, and EFL experience to a frontline that relied too heavily on Jamie Reid last season. Revell’s assessment of him as a “number nine” rather than a fluid forward is telling—this is about profile as much as performance.
With 11 goals at Cambridge in 2023/24, Ahadme proved he can find the net in this division when used correctly. If Stevenage can play to his strengths, this could be one of their more impactful signings of the summer window.
