City among clubs linked to out-of-contract Charlton striker
BRISTOL City are among six clubs keen on signing outof-contract Charlton Athletic striker Chuks Aneke, according to reports.
Aneke scored 15 goals in 38 League One appearances for the Addicks last season and becomes a free agent at the end of this month, although he remains in talks with the south east London club.
TEAMTalk claims that City, Reading, Coventry City, QPR and Middlesbrough make up the 27-year-old’s list of suitors, with interest also in Scotland and MLS.
Aneke, however, prefers a Championship move as the report states that is his most likely pathway into the Premier League.
The report also states that Aneke has turned down Charlton’s latest contract offer, however South London Press have subsequently refuted that and insist the offer remains on the table.
Aneke started his career with Arsenal, emerging through their academy but failed to make a Premier League appearance as he was loaned to Stevenage, Crewe and Preston North End.
He spent two years in the Belgian top-flight with Zulte Waregam before a return to England at MK Dons earned him his move to Charlton in 2019.
The Robins are certainly in the market for a striker this summer following the departure of Famara Diedhiou after contract talks with the Senegalese broke down.
Aneke has produced a solid body of work for the Addicks in League One but his one and only campaign in the Championship proved a forgettable one with one goal in 21 appearances as Charlton were relegated in 2019/20.
City manager Nigel Pearson who is now leading recruitment, following the exit of CEO Mark Ashton, in tandem with head of technical recruitment Sean Gilhespy is looking at targets in League One given the value that division provides.
Although the free agent market is full of talent this summer, unrealistic wage expectations from players either in the Championship or dropping down from the Premier League, make discussions difficult at this stage.
The impact of Covid-19 means players need to re-align their demands with the new financial landscape, something that may take some time in the window.
Players looking to move up the pyramid, however, are more realistically
priced in terms of their salary so clubs wishing to do deals earlier, as opposed to wait late in the window, are increasingly looking to the third tier.
As reported by the Post’s website Bristol Live, AFC Wimbledon’s Joe Pigott is on a club watchlist while Blackpool’s Ryan Yates has also been under consideration for a long time but the Tangerines’ promotion could have complicated that move.
With Blackpool now a Championship club, Yates’ value and their asking price is likely to soar, meaning City and other suitors may look elsewhere given limited financial resources.
» Former Bristol City goalkeeper Rene Gilmartin has been named the new assistant manager of League Two Swindon Town, just a few weeks after his City release was confirmed. Gilmartin has linked up with former manager at Colchester, John McGreal, who was appointed at the County Ground to succeed John Sheridan following Swindon’s relegation from League One.
Gilmartin was among the 11 players not included on the City retained list last month with the 34-year-old serving as second, third and fourth-choice goalkeeper during his two years at Ashton Gate. The Dubliner never made a first-team appearance but assisted goalkeeper coach Pat Mountain in training and was seen as a big dressing room presence who was well-liked within the squad.