Charlton Athletic 'shortlist' Championship striker as Portsmouth make brutal admission

With the League One season over and just the play-offs left to conclude, clubs across the country are beginning to announce their release lists.

Some stars will become free agents and search for new clubs while others will extend their time at clubs that are keen to secure their services for another season.

Charlton Athletic, Leyton Orient and Portsmouth feature in your Thursday League One round-up.

Charlton interest in Championship striker

Charlton Athletic are believed to have added Coventry City talisman Matt Godden to their transfer market shopping list ahead of the summer window.

That's according to London News Online with the outlet reporting that the 32-year-old is on the club's 'shortlist' as Nathan Jones prepares for his first window as manager of the football club. The Welshman steered the Addicks away from relegation with aplomb this term and will look to compete at the other end of the division next year.

Godden has been linked with a move to Charlton in the past, while playing at Stevenage, before joining Peterborough United. Coventry City signed the striker for £750,000 in 2019 and he has helped the club win League One promotion and find their way to a Championship play-off final and FA Cup semi-final.

Godden has netted nine goals in all competitions this season, falling out of the starting XI, and has another 12 months left on his deal at Coventry City.

Richie Wellens extends Leyton Orient deal

Leyton Orient head coach Richie Wellens has put pen to paper on a new three-year deal, the club confirmed on Wednesday.

It comes after a hugely successful first season in League One with a comfortable mid-table finish. The O's were even contenders for the play-offs at one stage.

Speaking to BBC Radio London, Wellens said that he wanted to change the perception of the club as 'little Leyton Orient'. He said: "Next year it's about changing that mindset and trying to establish us as a really good League One club, then in the following season and season after that, then it's about trying to get us promoted."

Portsmouth boss makes candid contract admission

Portsmouth boss John Mousinho has admitted that supporters must 'take the sentiment out' of the club's release list in a straight-talking take on the situation on the south coast.

Pompey will play in the Championship next season but are letting prominent stars including Joe Rafferty and Sean Raggett leave the club as their contract expires. Josh Martin and Lee Evans also depart with Marlon Pack and Connor Ogilvie the only two of 14 out-of-contract stars to be offered deals.

Mousinho told The News: "We’ve taken every case individually and obviously there are a large number of players that haven’t been offered contracts, but we want to make sure every decision is for the best interests of the football club moving forward.

"The club is extremely ambitious in terms of what we want to achieve in the coming years and it starts every summer with making sure we have the squad we want going into next season.

"We have to take the sentiment out of it, if we didn’t it would also be unfair on them. You could have players tied down here, not doing anything, not involved in training, not involved in games, not developing - and that’s also for the young lads."