Charlton Athletic are heading towards a very important summer transfer window to ensure that they do not underperform to the extent that they have done in 2021/22.

The Addicks need to the learn their lessons from the summer of 2021, when they waited until the final week of the transfer window to do the majority of their business, leaving Nigel Adkins with the unenviable task of gelling a new squad, having already got off to a poor start to the campaign due to a lack of senior personnel.

The club recruited for a 4-3-3 formation last summer that Johnnie Jackson has ripped up since taking the reins in late October and therefore this time around their targets will be with a 3-5-2 system in mind.

With players edging towards the end of their contracts and some potentially attracting interest there are plenty of decisions to be made.

Here, we have taken a look at eight players that could be sold, loaned or released in the summer window...

Stephen Henderson came in as a free agent at the beginning of the campaign, and his arrival allowed Ashley Maynard-Brewer to head out to Ross County on loan to gain experience.

Henderson has only played two League One games and was at fault for a goal in both a 2-1 loss at Crewe Alexandra and a 1-1 draw at Cheltenham Town.

The Irishman is very unlikely to be offered a new deal with Maynard-Brewer set to return to battle it out with Craig MacGillivray to be first choice goalkeeper.

Adam Matthews has made 88 appearances for the Addicks since signing as a free agent as well, at the start of the 2019/20 campaign, the Welshman's best performances for the South Londoners came in his debut season in the second tier.

The 30-year-old has started the last nine games on the bounce, in a right wing back role that does not play to his strengths, giving Jackson a decision to make on his future, with his contract up in the summer.

With Jackson so insistent on playing with wing backs, it does appear that Matthews is more of a stop-gap than anything else and the club should take the opportunity to prioritise a specialist for the position in the summer.

Ryan Inniss has had a very up and down Charlton career since signing from Crystal Palace in the summer of 2020.

The no nonsense centre back has been very effective at his best and as an aerial presence the 26-year-0ld is very effective from set piece situations.

Inniss has been very unfortunate with injuries in his time at Charlton and has only made 30 appearances for the club as a result.

There is more room for defenders in Jackson's formation and that could work in Inniss' favour, if he is offered a new deal at the end of his contract this summer.

Josh Davison is one of the more intriguing cases.

The 22-year-old is an exciting up and coming EFL striker, however, with where Charlton would like to get to in the coming years, at the moment he does not seem up to it.

The lively striker's contract is up at the end of the season, and he is currently on loan at Swindon Town, chipping in with ten goal involvements in 19 outings since arriving in January.

It depends how many strikers Jackson wants in his squad, but the club could be well advised to offer Davison a new deal purely so they can recoup a more significant transfer fee for his services, if interest sparks up in the summer.

Ben Purrington has made over 100 appearances for the Addicks since signing, initially on loan, in January 2019, and is approaching the end of his contract this summer.

Jackson has been reluctant to play the 25-year-old in the second half of the season, despite his strong performances after he replaced Nigel Adkins in the dugout, leading to some uncertainty around his future.

Currently on the treatment table, it will be interesting to see which way Jackson leans with Purrington, who is able to slot in as a left centre back or left wing back when required.

Conor Washington is arguably the standout player in the squad who is approaching the end of his deal at The Valley.

The Northern Ireland international has scored 11 league goals this term, and the team have only lost one game since Jackson took over when he has started up front alongside Jayden Stockley.

Chuks Aneke and Stockley are the only senior strikers at the club with deals beyond the end of the season, and with the former's fitness not reliable, the Addicks would be wise to offer Washington a new two-year contract.

Jason Pearce has performed admirably when called upon this season, which has probably been more often than planned due to injuries, but at 34 his career is certainly winding down.

The centre back already takes on some coaching responsibilities at the club, and those could increase next season if he does hang up his boots, however his commanding defensive displays have suggested that he could still be of use as a backup defender in League One.

Sean Clare, the exception to the rule, is the only player with a contract beyond the end of the season in this list.

The 25-year-old has adjusted extremely well to playing on the right of the back three this term, having previously mainly played as a central midfielder in his career.

Clare stakes a major claim for the club's Player of the Season award, but he will probably end up losing out to George Dobson.

His ball playing ability, in the world of three at the back in the EFL, is a very admirable quality and could see interest crop up around him, still an improving player at 25.

With just one year left on his contract, and the speed of which the club offloaded Mason Burstow in January, it would not be an enormous surprise to see the Addicks cash in if a hefty fee was tabled for his services.