Charlie Kirk features: Charlton Athletic's 5 biggest transfer flop signings from recent times | OneFootball

FLW takes a look at five disappointing signings that Charlton Athletic have made in recent times.

Charlton Athletic have not always got things right in the transfer market during the last decade or so, which is one of the reasons why they have just entered their fifth consecutive season in League One.

The Addicks have made a number of underwhelming signings in recent times, from the arrival of Harry Arter on loan to the return of Macauley Bonne on a free transfer, which has contributed to the club spending eight of the last nine seasons in the third tier of English football.

While Charlton have made some very good signings during that time as well, such as George Dobson from Sunderland and Josh Cullen on loan from West Ham United, it would be fair to say that overall, their business in the transfer market has not been great.

Let's take a look at five disappointing signings that Charlton have made in recent times.

Charlie Kirk

When Charlton signed Charlie Kirk from Crewe Alexandra for a fee of £500k in the summer of 2021, there was belief amongst supporters that the Addicks had brought in one of the most exciting young wingers in the EFL.

He made 48 appearances in his time at the club, during which he was sent out on loan to Blackpool and Burton Albion, before his contract was terminated with more than a year left to run on it in December 2023.

After leaving The Valley, the 26-year-old re-joined Crewe and helped them reach the League Two play-off final last season, before he became a free agent over the summer.

Sam Lavelle

Charlton signed centre-back Sam Lavelle from Morecambe for a fee in excess of £200k in 2021, during the same transfer window that Kirk joined the club.

The 27-year-old never really lived up to expectations in SE7, and also spent time on loan at Burton Albion alongside his friend Kirk, before leaving the club to sign for Carlisle United in 2023.

He is now playing in League Two for the Cumbrians.

Ronnie Schwarz

Danish striker Ronnie Schwarz joined Charlton from FC Midtjylland for an undisclosed fee in January 2021.

He arrived at the club with high expectations, having been the top scorer in the Danish Superliga during the 2019/20 season.

Schwarz missed a last minute penalty against Oxford United in March 2021, which would have won all three points for Charlton, before the Addicks finished outside the play-off places on goal difference at the end of the season.

In October 2021, the two-and-a-half year deal he had signed when he arrived at The Valley was mutually terminated, and he departed the club having scored just one goal.

Nicky Ajose

Charlton signed Nicky Ajose from Swindon Town for a fee in the region of £800k ahead of the 2016/17 campaign, after he had scored 24 goals in League One the previous season.

He returned to Swindon on loan in January 2017 after spending just half a season at The Valley, before he was later sent on loan to Bury and Mansfield Town.

The forward only scored twice in League One during his last two seasons at Charlton, both of which came during victories over Portsmouth at Fratton Park, including a memorable winner which helped the Addicks reach the play-offs in 2018.

However, he was released at the end of the 2018/19 season, bringing an end to an underwhelming spell in SE7, especially considering the fee that was spent on bringing him to the club.

George Tucudean

Charlton signed striker George Tucudean on a free transfer from Standard Liege in 2014.

He made a relatively encouraging start to the 2014/15 Championship season, scoring in a win against Derby County in his third league appearance for the club, but things went downhill for the Romanian forward after that.

Any Charlton fan who hears Tucudean's name will immediately think of his miss against Millwall at The Valley in November 2014, with the scoreline at 0-0, when he was through one-on-one in stoppage time before deciding to try and lift the ball over the goalkeeper before scoring instead of just finishing the chance.

He made just five more appearances for the club after that moment, and was released in the summer of 2016 following loan spells back in his homeland.