Steve Gallen speaks about the signing of returning fans' favourite Chuks Aneke, as well as other transfers during the January window...
On Aneke’s return…
“We didn’t want him to leave in the first place. He chose Birmingham, to play in the championship, I understood it and he had a good deal there as well, I had no problem at that stage. But we never let it go, we didn’t want to lose him, and I always wanted to bring him back.
“Also supported, of course, by Thomas and Martin Sandgaard, they were very keen to bring him back too. So, I speak to Lee Bowyer anyway, but I speak to a lot of managers and coaches, always having conversations about players. And then a couple of weeks ago Lee said to me, look if you want to try and do something then let’s try and agree a fee, and we did with Birmingham. And then we had to try and persuade Chuks, via his agent, to come back. It wasn’t that difficult, because I think all the way along that he wanted to come back to us. This morning, seeing him at the training ground, I just knew it. Seeing him coming in with his big smile, it feels like he hasn’t been away. And he’s pleased, we’re pleased, everyone’s pleased; The player’s, staff, everybody.”
Importance of bringing in a striker…
“We needed one and obviously Jayden’s out at the moment, and so we’ve been short. Conor missed a couple games there as well and you can see we were just a little bit light up top without the two of them, two good, experienced strikers. The younger boys have done well, don’t get me wrong. Mason [Burstow] and Josh Davison work so hard, they’ve got a great attitude and full respect for that. But we needed another senior one and I suppose we lost one at the end of the transfer window in Ronnie Schwartz. So, to get Chuks in and get him in first and get him in reasonably early or middle of the transfer window is good. But then it gives us a little bit more time, another two weeks to try and add to that in the transfer window. So, important to try and get a striker for sure, important to get a good player and the first one is obviously a very good player.”
Importance of getting players on long-term contracts…
“It’ll make my life a lot easier. In the summer, hopefully no more trying to get 13 or 14 players in every year, which I don’t want to do. I say that every year and fingers crossed we don’t have to do that. It shows, I think Chuks wanted to see a commitment from Charlton Athletic, with the length of the contract. And I fully respect the Chairman for doing it, he’s really shown his teeth here by paying a transfer fee for Chuks and for going with a long contract, three-and-a-half-years. We’ve talked about this before, we’ve now got the spine of a team that next year and potentially the year after and year after that again, so it’s building. It takes time these things to build it, but we’re building, and I think we’re going in the right direction.”
Next on the agenda…
“There is a couple more that we’ve been working on, and so I would expect two players before the end of the window if I’m being honest. Potentially one more as well, so fingers crossed we can do it.
"There are other bits and pieces, not just about the financial side and the budget, certain amount of players in the squad. Then we have to obviously come under budget as well, with regards to the EFL that we’re under right now. So, there is potential for a bit of movement. But I also feel, and I think I’ve mentioned this before, that we should look to get one or two in and look to get one or two out. I feel some of our younger players could go out, could do well going out on loan, so I expect that to happen in the next couple of weeks hopefully, for them and for us. Yeah, so maybe a couple in and a couple out.”
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Article by Josh Eden