Charlton Athletic set to agree midfielder deal

BY RICHARD CAWLEY

Charlton midfielder Jake Forster-Caskey is set to extend his contract. 

The 25-year-old, who missed nearly all of last season with cruciate knee ligament damage, is due to be a free agent on July 1.

“We’re nearly there with Jake,” said Addicks manager Lee Bowyer. “It could happen quick.

“And we’ll start talking to Anfernee [Dijksteel] again. We spoke to him at the end of last season but he said: ‘I want to see what you are doing’.

“We’ll try to tie Joe [Aribo] down and I’d like to bring in some new players before we go back [for pre-season] next Friday so that they can all start pre-season, then try to bring in another one or two with maybe a few loans.

“I’m aiming to get at least three in before next Friday, possibly four. And before we go on the pre-season tour I would like that number to be up to four or five.

“The lads have hardly had any break, but it is what it is. We have just got to kick on now and get as fit as we can get – be like machines – because this league is going to be tough.

“There are a lot of athletes in this league and we’ve got to match them. Last season we were one of the fittest sides in the league, but we are going to another level now.”

Bowyer is targeting The Valley being packed out next season to aid their cause.

“I want to thank the fans for their support,” he said. “It means a lot and hopefully we can start a new journey and see where it takes us.

“For sure, we are going to need their help this season – even more so than the last one.

“I want to push for 20,000 there as a minimum for our home games because we are going to need them.

“I know it is going to be hard to set the same kind of record at home as last season, because we only lost two league games there all season. But we are going to need a good home record to be able to stay in the league – and they are going to play a massive part in that.”