Charlton Athletic are close to reaching an agreement to sign former Brighton & Hove Albion winger Solly March. The 32-year-old free agent is set to join on a short-term contract at The Valley, providing a timely boost for a side sitting 13th in the Championship with 14 points from 10 games.
Journalist Pete O'Rourke said, "Charlton Athletic are close to reaching an agreement to sign the former Brighton & Hove Albion winger Solly March." March has been a free agent since being released by Brighton at the end of the 2025-26 season and has been training at their Lancing base to maintain fitness. His arrival would offer valuable cover, particularly with Rob Apter facing a long spell out after knee surgery.
March's career and injury battles
Solly March made exactly 300 appearances for Brighton across all competitions, helping the club achieve promotion to the Premier League and later qualify for Europe for the first time in the 2022-23 season. His career, however, was severely hampered by serious knee injuries. A major setback in October 2024 kept him out for over a year, limiting him to just four brief appearances under Fabian Hurzeler at the end of his final season. Despite these challenges, he brings a wealth of top-flight experience, having made 194 Premier League appearances, scoring 14 goals and providing 20 assists.
Fitting Charlton's current needs
The move comes at a key time for Charlton, who have not won in their last seven Championship outings, drawing five of them. Their most recent result was a 2-0 defeat at Watford. Adding a player of March's pedigree could inject creativity into an attack that has scored 10 goals this season. His potential debut could come in the next fixture, a home game against 20th-placed Norwich City on 24 October. Fans can view the full fixtures schedule for the run-up to that match.
The club's search for reinforcements is understandable given their current form, which reads zero wins, three draws and two defeats from the last five games. Top scorer T. Campbell, with four goals, would likely welcome the service a fit March could provide from the flank.
Local significance of the move
Charlton look set to benefit from a collapsed summer move to local rivals Crystal Palace. March had undergone a medical with Palace and expressed a desire to stay in England, but the deal fell through. His eventual signing for Charlton, rather than their Selhurst Park rivals, is a twist that will please supporters of both the Addicks and Brighton. Born in Eastbourne, March was discovered by Brighton at age 17 while playing for non-league Lewes, forging a deep connection with the south coast club that lasted over a decade.
Solly March will sign a short-term contract at The Valley, with the club hoping his experience can help steady their campaign.
The original report is at Football League World
