Football League World revealed this morning that Charlton Athletic have sent forward an inquiry to Derby County over a potential move for the out of favour right midfielder Joe Ward, who’s been frozen out of action so far this campaign.
Derby have been recruiting at pace this summer window, adding 13 players thus far with their most recent addition being Southampton’s Ben Brereton Diaz on loan, who has bolstered their depth out wide, as well as Max Johnston from Austrian side Sturm Graz for competition for the right-wing back spot in John Eustace’s 3-4-2-1 formation they’ve preferred this term.
Charlton on the other hand, do lack the necessary depth for a Championship out wide, as their only contracted midfielder currently is former Blackpool and Tranmere man Rob Apter, starting a majority of League games so far this season for Charlton Athletic, and would undoubtably welcome an experienced EFL wide midfielder like Joe Ward to their ranks if they wish to continue rising up the Championship table following on from their Playoff success.
Who is Joe Ward And How Can He Be Good For Charlton Athletic?
Joe Ward his career at Essex non-league side Chelmsford City, where he featured 64 times, before joining Brighton and Hove Albion’s academy set up, where he was swiftly sent out on a short-term loan spell to Lincoln City, but departed The Seagulls without making a first-team cameo.
He quickly found himself at a new club, joining Woking for the first half of the 2017/2018 campaign, where he made a name for himself, earning a huge step up into EFL football to join League One club Peterborough United, which was the turning point in his career, as during his five and a half year spell at The Posh, he featured on 233 occasions, scoring 23 times and providing 35 assists during this period.
Derby signed the 30-year-old in the summer window of the 2023/24 season, but have been yet to see the best of Ward, featuring just 38 times in the two years he’s spent with the club, just eight of those coming last campaign, due to being frozen out of action and a few injury concerns.
This season, Ward has just 38 Championship minutes under his belt (although he has started in both of The Rams’ Carabao Cup ties), and at the age of 30, will undoubtedly be on the hunt for more frequent game time, and Charlton Athletic could be the perfect suitor, as they look to restructure their squad to compete at Championship level.
