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Due to the struggle for survival in the English Premier League this season, the London club continues to strengthen - they acquired Algerian national team defender Madjid Bougherra from Sheffield Wednesday for 2.5 million pounds.
The 24-year-old footballer is already the third new signing of the recently appointed Charlton manager Alan Pardew - earlier, the team was reinforced by Zheng Zhi and Ben Thatcher.
Sheffield Wednesday initially stated that they did not intend to sell the young defender, but later agreed to Charlton's offers. It is worth noting that Bougherra spent only eight months in Sheffield.
Charlton is currently in second-to-last place in the English Premier League and has conceded the most goals of all teams in the championship - a total of 43 in 24 matches. This is precisely why Alan Pardew was looking for a defender who could plug the gaps in his team's defense.
It is reported that several other top English division clubs, such as Birmingham City and Everton, were also interested in the player, but Bougherra chose Charlton's offer.
"They were the first ones to contact me. I met with representatives of Charlton very quickly and immediately felt that they wanted me," Bougherra said.
"Later, I went to Liverpool, where I visited Everton's training ground, but the team's manager David Moyes was immediately honest with me and said he wanted me not as a defender, but as a holding midfielder."
"Indeed, at the beginning of my career, I played in this position, but as the type of player I am now, I became a defender and now I see my entire future associated with this position, as I feel great playing here," the Algerian explained his choice.
Born in France, Bougherra began his professional football career at the Gueugnon team in France. Later, the player nicknamed "The Magician" was loaned to Crewe Alexandra, and in May of last year, he moved to Sheffield Wednesday for 300,000 pounds.
