Charlton Athletic boss explains why no defender deal is on cards before tonight’s transfer deadline

Charlton Athletic will not be signing a defender before the January transfer window closes at 11pm tonight.

The Addicks have made Matt Smith their fourth addition this month with the 20-year-old midfielder arriving from Arsenal.

Some of the fanbase have urged manager Lee Bowyer to add to his defensive options with Ryan Inniss and Akin Famewo both out.

But the Charlton chief has revealed that Norwich loanee Famewo should be back for Saturday’s trip to Rochdale.

“Akin will be back in the squad at the weekend. We’ve got three out of four centre-halves who are fit.

“If there was someone out there – a right-sided one – that would improve us then we would’ve signed him. But there isn’t.

“Our loan situation is that we’ve got a lot of loans, so we can’t loan another one. Even then there are no right-sided ones. There are a couple of kids we could’ve brought in for cover but you’re bringing them in for the sake of it. They are not as good as what we’ve got.

“Akin is coming back and it would be silly for us to bring someone in who is not as good as what we’ve got already. It would be a waste of time.

“Gunts [Chris Gunter] can slide in there and [Darren] Pratley can slot in there and do a good job – a better job than the ones we’d be able to bring in. So it makes no sense.”