Charlton Athletic hijacking Crystal Palace deal could deliver double boost | OneFootball

Charlton Athletic should explore the possibility of signing Wycombe Wanderers target Danny Imray on loan from Crystal Palace.

Charlton Athletic should explore the possibility of signing Crystal Palace wing-back Danny Imray, who is currently on loan at League Two side Bromley, ahead of Wycombe Wanderers.

Football Insider have reported that Wycombe are in advanced talks to sign the 21-year-old on loan, but the Addicks should see if they are able to hijack that deal and bring the player to The Valley for the remainder of the campaign instead.

He is a player who would strengthen the squad on the right-hand side, and would also stop Wycombe, who Charlton could potentially face in the play-offs later in the year if they continue their improved form, from bolstering their squad.

The Addicks have been short of options at right wing-back in recent months, due to injuries suffered by Kayne Ramsay and Tennai Watson, so Imray would be an excellent addition for the Londoners.

Thierry Small has impressed in that position during Charlton's good form in recent weeks, which included a 2-1 victory over high-fliers Wycombe, but the fact that Imray is right-footed and has more quality in the final third means that he would be an effective option in Nathan Jones' current system.

Charlton should see if they can hijack Wycombe's move for Imray

While Wycombe are reportedly in advanced talks to complete a deal to sign Imray, Charlton should explore the possibility of hijacking the deal.

The Chairboys already have Cameron Humphreys, Nathan Bishop, Gideon Kodua and Sonny Bradley on loan at the club, while Pete O'Rourke has revealed that they are plotting a move for Brentford defender Tristan Crama, who is currently enjoying a spell at Exeter City.

If a deal for Crama is completed, Wycombe will have five loanees at the club, which is the maximum number that can be included in an EFL matchday squad.

Of course, one of the other loanees would likely make way for Imray so he could be included in the squad if he did sign for the club, but the fact that Wycombe are seemingly looking at different options to sign on loan could give another club the opportunity to make a late move for one of their targets.

Also, Wycombe captain Jack Grimmer has recently signed a new contract after impressing in the last few games, so Imray may not be assured of a starting berth if he were to make the move to the League One promotion-chasers.

If there is any chance of Charlton swooping in and signing Imray, then they should do everything that they can to do so.

The right wing-back would be a perfect fit in Jones' system, as the Addicks operate with wing-backs in a similar set-up to the one that has seen Imray be so successful at Bromley, and can also be likened to the formation that Oliver Glasner deploys at Selhurst Park.

Should the Addicks manage to sign Imray, and if he is able to get into the positions that Small has been finding himself in during recent weeks, then the Palace youngster has the ability to make a big difference in the final third for Charlton.

The Eagles may be convinced to trust Charlton with his development after Jesurun Rak-Sakyi enjoyed a fruitful loan spell in SE7 during the 2022/23 season, something that could make The Valley seem like the right place for Imray to take his next step, on top of the fact that he would slot nicely into the Addicks' team, and that he would be able to stay local.

Imray has starred for Bromley this season

Imray joined Bromley on loan in the summer, and has been one of their standout players as they have exceeded expectations so far this season, having made six goal contributions in all competitions from wing-back, so it is no surprise to see him being linked with a January move to League One.

Some Charlton supporters may not be overly keen on the idea of signing a player who has spent the first half of the season in the division below on loan from their rivals, but most people who have watched Bromley will believe that Imray is a player who would be an excellent addition, especially considering that the Addicks lack natural options in his position at present.