Charlton Athletic are set to complete the signing of Eoghan O'Connell on a free transfer.

The centre-back is set to be a free agent as he failed to agree new terms with Rochdale, so he is now on the lookout for a new club, with plenty of interest in the defender.

And, according to reporter Pete O'Rourke, O'Connell is now set to link up with the Addicks ahead of the new season.

An agreement with the 26-year-old is thought to be at an advanced stage and it will be an early bit of business for new boss Ben Garner.

The new head coach was appointed after he decided to leave Swindon Town and he will be tasked with building a squad that is capable of pushing for promotion to the Championship next season.

O'Connell, who came through the ranks at Celtic, will hope to be a key figure at The Valley and he does have plenty of experience in the third tier, having previously made around 70 appearances at this level with Dale.

The verdict

This seems like a very good potential signing for Charlton as O'Connell is a good player and you can understand why he has wanted to leave as opposed to staying in League Two with Rochdale.

For Charlton, they need reinforcements all over the pitch and Garner has recognised that centre-back is an area he needs to prioritise.

So, to get the Irishman on a free makes sense and he could play a big part for the Londoners next season as they gear up for a new era under the boss.

Thoughts? Let us know in the comments below.