Charlton Athletic are pursuing a deal for the freed Sunderland man instead of the ex-West Bromwich Albion right-back, Tyrone Mears.
The new Charlton Athletic director Steve Gallen has confirmed the Addicks are in talks to sign the former Sunderland right-back Adam Matthews, but insisted that Tyrone Mears won’t be joining after his West Bromwich Albion contract expired.
Both players were released before the transfer deadline passed for Championship clubs, and can therefore be signed outside of the window.
But even though Mears trained with Charlton earlier this summer, the ex-West Brom right-back – who played with the Addicks boss Lee Bowyer at West Ham – is not one of the two players currently being pursued in his position.
“We are speaking to Adam Matthews’ agent about doing something,” Gallen told The South London Press about the freed Sunderland man. “There is nothing concrete yet but I think we can get some common ground between us.
“If we do that [deal] then that will be our last signing.
“There are a few free transfers about and there is one other right-back [option], which is not Tyrone Mears.
“There is a will on both sides [with Matthews] to do it. It’s just finding that common ground.”
36-year-old Mears only played 14 times during his season at West Brom, although most of those came in Championship competition.
And despite his recent League One spell with Sunderland, Matthews – who is nine years Mears’ junior – has played close to 100 games in England’s second-tier and a similar amount in Scotland’s top-flight.
Are Charlton right to favour the former Sunderland man over his ex-West Brom counterpart?
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