Striker Stockley picks Addicks over Pompey
CHARLTON Athletic have completed the signing of Jayden Stockley from Preston North End after the striker turned down a return to Portsmouth.
Hampshire Live reported earlier this week that Stockley had agreed a deal to come back to Fratton Park, after a brief loan spell during the 2015-16 season.
However, he is now bound for The Valley, where he was on loan last season and scored eight goals in 22 appearances.
He was not among the players released by Preston and has signed a three-year deal with the Addicks for an undisclosed fee.
“I’m very pleased that my journey at Charlton isn’t over,” Stockley told Charlton’s website.
“I have loved my time here and now I’ll get the chance to play in front of the fans and experience The Valley properly.
“We just missed out on a play-off place on goal difference last season, so there is some unfinished business.
“I have loved my time here and now I’ll get the chance to play in front of the fans and experience The Valley properly.”
Meanwhile, manager Danny Cowley has admitted that players he might prefer to keep at Fratton Park may move on.
Cowley was responding to rumours that highly-rated striker John Marquis is interesting Peterborough United, MK Dons and a Scottish Premiership club.
Marquis has scored 32 goals in 97 appearances across two season since joining Pompey from Doncaster Rovers, where he had scored 67 goals in three seasons.
“I think every player at League One level, at Championship level has a price,” said Cowley.
“It is only probably when you get to the top end of the Premier League that some of those players don’t have a price and are not for sale at any cost. Everybody else has a price.
“There are some players I desperately don’t want to lose but if a certain transfer fee came in for them, then if we then decided we could use that to better the squad, I think you always have to stay openminded.”
Cowley may be less fussed about losing striker Ellis Harrison, who has been out with a knee injury since the manager was drafted in mid-season by Pompey.
Oxford United are expected to sign Harrision, relishing the chance to restore his partnership with their striker Matty Taylor.
Harrison and Taylor were previously together up front for Bristol Rovers as the Gas rose from the National League to League One between 2014 and 2016.
Fleetwood Town are also thought to be interested in Harrison but Oxford are in pole position.
Signed in June 2019, Harrison has made 70 appearances for Portsmouth, almost half of them from the bench, and scored
16 goals.
Town have signed experienced former Salford City defender Tom Clarke on a one-year contract.
He made 35 appearances for Salford in 2020-21, including in the delayed 2020 Papa John’s Trophy final, which they won on penalties against Portsmouth.
The 33-year-old was one of a raft of players released by Salford.
He has previously played for Huddersfield Town and Preston North End, where he clocked up 250 appearances, many of those under current Fleetwood manager Simon Grayson.
“I worked under the manager for a long time at Preston and spoke to a few players who have been here (Fleetwood) in the past and they mentioned how good the facilities are so a few things drew me towards Fleetwood,” he told the club website.
“I’m looking forward to working with the players and, hopefully, pass on that experience that we might need.”