League One Charlton Athletic have confirmed the loan signing of Blues striker Freddie Ladapo.

The 30-year-old’s departure during this window had been widely expected with his opportunities having been limited since the Blues were promoted to the Championship, even since George Hirst suffered the hamstring injury which is set to rule him out for most of the rest of the season.

Discussions regarding the switch have been ongoing for more than a week and were finally concluded today.

Ladapo joined the Blues after leaving Rotherham in the summer of 2022 and has scored 25 goals in 33 starts and 42 sub appearances, and was a member of the squad which secured promotion from League One last season, netting 21 times in that campaign. He has another year and a half left on his Town contract.

The Romford-born forward’s younger brother Tolu is already a player at the Valley.

Ladapo becomes the second Town player on loan at the Valley, Panutche Camara having made the move for the season in the summer.

“I'm really happy to be joining Charlton. I'm so excited to be here and I'm looking forward to seeing what we can achieve during the rest of the season.” the striker told the Addicks website.

Michael Appleton, Charlton’s head coach, added: “Freddie’s a massive goal threat who brings lots of quality.

“He’s a player who’s comfortable playing with his back to goal and running towards goal. He’s very quick, he’s athletic, he’s got a very good record at this level and he’s a really exciting signing. I think everyone is going to look forward to having him on board.”

Technical director Andy Scott said: “Freddie is someone we’ve been after for a long time. He’s got a proven record of scoring goals in this league and getting promotions.

“He’s been at Ipswich most recently and shown he can compete in the Championship as well. It’s a major coup to be able to bring in a player of his quality.”

Ladapo’s exit means the Blues’ need to add to their striking ranks has increased further with Hirst out for all bar the last knockings of the campaign and Dane Scarlett having returned to parent club Tottenham.

Town have been in talks with AFC Bournemouth regarding former striker Kieffer Moore returning to Portman Road on loan, while a move for Blackburn’s Sam Gallagher stalled earlier in the week with Rovers concerned that his exit would leave them short of frontmen.

That situation may change with reports that the Lancastrians are targeting Birmingham City striker Lukas Jutkiewicz, although we understand no progress has been made on the Gallagher move, despite the player understood to be keen on the switch, while Stoke City and Sunderland are also believed to have shown interest during this window.

Elsewhere, former Town midfielder Andre Dozzell has joined Birmingham City, now managed by Blues legend Tony Mowbray, on loan from QPR.

Arsenal forward Tyreece John-Jules, who was on loan with Town last season, has extended his current spell with Derby County until the end of the 2023/24 season.

Ex-Town academy defender Calum Logan, 17, has signed his first professional deal with Tottenham, the club he left the Playford Road youth set-up to join in April last year.

Meanwhile, Monday’s opponents Leicester City have lost loan midfielder Cesare Casadei, who has been recalled by his parent club Chelsea.

Photo: Matchday Images

GSH71 added 15:41 - Jan 20 No striker yet , seems strange letting Freddie go with no replacement. Not looking too good at the mo.
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DannyITFC added 16:14 - Jan 20 Starting to get a bit concerned tbh. Jacko only striker left now and no sign of these x2 CFs? I know there’s still time but for a team flying in 3rd position with a great chance of finishing top 2 there seems to be very slow movement in this area? I hope we have business pretty much finished in the background for at least x1 CF if not 2 but it’s starting to be looking like a frustrating and significant window which will have an effect on where we go from here for the 2nd half of the season either for the positive or negative. Fingers crossed we get business concluded this weekend, failure do so will sadly lead to negativity in the stands which we don’t want.

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Len_Brennan added 17:36 - Jan 20 Stansfield, Gallagher & Rajovic all started for their clubs today, whuch may suggest that none of them are coming (although Marvin Johnson did for Wednesday too) as we need to have a replacement ready for the Leicester game on Monday. Even that German lad, who is on over £20k a week in the top flight of German football, and clearly isnt coming here, playing for his club today. For that reason it looks like it is going to ve Kiefer Moore that we have gotten a deal over the line for; or else it's someone off the radar. There's no way someone as precise as McKenna would go into a key game, against the league leaders, after letting a striker go, with no replacement, when already 2 strikers down.

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barrystedmunds added 18:15 - Jan 20 So we’d all feel confident if Freddie had stayed he would have played on Monday night despite the general consensus on here that’s he’s not up to required standards of this league?
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Len_Brennan added 19:07 - Jan 20 Barry - if Jackson gets injured in the warm up or 10 minutes into the game, and we had signed nobody new by then, do you reckon Freddie would still have played no minutes if still here?
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Billysherlockblue added 19:27 - Jan 20 Jackson prob starts and then broadhead taking over for the moment id say!
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thevoiceofreason added 19:36 - Jan 20 If there is no-one in the pipeline, could it be we are in for a change in the way we play, e.g., a false 9? They have had a week to plan for it, as KM emphasised after the last game. I don’t think we will pay over the odds for anyone so, if the clubs are playing hardball, I don’t think we will be playing. Monday might be quite interesting at this rate.
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Eeyore added 20:44 - Jan 20 Freddie had to go. He is a model pro and has a first class character but will want to play regularly and that will only happen in Div 1. Jackson might continue to surprise us, let’s hope. I think a striker will come in. Probably Keiffer Moore and a young prem striker on loan. That might not be good enough to get us top 2 or win play-offs. Good recruitment in the summer might be necessary. It’s going to be a great season whatever happens.

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del45 added 22:23 - Jan 20 This website is rubbish at times for information.
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BcarefulwhatUWish4 added 22:43 - Jan 20 Letting Ladapo leave on loan without an immediate replacement seems odd, especially given our serious lack of striker options. We have lost four strikers this transfer window (three of which were regularly playing for the first team). No chance also of recalling Ahadme. We are asking an awful lot now of Kayden Jackson. The guy gives his all every match, but opposition teams are going to be able to prep us easily as they'll know exactly who is going to be playing for us up front. I've seen a couple of the U21 games this season and nobody is ready yet to step up (Ayinde and Buabo could do with some time out on loan). I find the whole situation really strange and don't think things have gone anywhere near according to plan.

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bobble added 03:13 - Jan 21 lucky we have jackson.......ehmmmm maybe not.
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dirtydingusmagee added 09:22 - Jan 21 GOOD LUCK Freddie, pop the goals in ! did us proud in our promotion year,
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