Charlton have completed the signing of Erhun Oztumer on a free transfer following his departure from Bolton Wanderers.
The versatile 28-year-old has put pen to paper on a two-year-deal after he was granted permission by the EFL to leave Bolton on a free transfer earlier this week.
Given his circumstances, as he requested the free transfer before last week’s transfer deadline, he will be available to play for the Addicks immediately.
Oztumer nearly joined Charlton on loan in January and becomes the Addicks 13th signing of a busy summer.
The Greenwich-born attacking midfielder grew up in the Addicks’ renowned academy and said he was pleased to be back at Sparrows Lane: "It feels great. It's nice to see a few faces I haven't seen in a while. I'm very happy to be here and looking forward to enjoying football again.
"I'm a local lad and I've kept an eye on Charlton since I left, so I'm happy to be happy to be here, playing in the Championship. The team has started really well so I'll fight for my place, work hard and see where it takes us."
Charlton manager Lee Bowyer was pleased to finally sign Oztumer: "It's a bonus one for us. He's a very good player, he scores goals, gets assists, he's a local lad. Obviously we tried to bring him in during January but it didn't work out for us. He brings a bit of flair and that craft and cleverness in the final third. I'm looking forward to working with him."
Head of Recruitment Steve Gallen added: "He's a skillful player, he's tricky, he's bright, he's clever. He sees things that a lot of the players don't see. We've been interested in him since we started tracking him to try and bring him in during January, so we're really pleased to finally get Erhun in here."
After leaving the Addicks academy Oztumer spent a year with non-League Fisher Athletic and made the move to Turkey in 2008 where he represented Manisaspor, Sivasspor and Anadolu Üsküdar, but it was back in south London where he started to make his name.
Joining Dulwich Hamlet in 2012, he scored a huge amount of goals at Champion Hill, prompting Peterborough United to bring him into the Football League in 2014.
After two seasons at London Road, he signed for Walsall where he continued to impress, earning a place in the League One Team of the Year in both 2017 and 2018 while scoring 32 goals in 95 appearances for the Saddlers before his move to Bolton in 2018, appearing 19 times for the Trotters.
Oztumer will wear number 29 for the Addicks this season.
