Charlton Athletic invested sensibly in their squad in their days in the Premier League between 2000 and 2007, bringing some exciting players to the club and punching above their weight in the league table for the most part.

The Addicks have not been able to spend as freely in the transfer market in the last 15 years and did not pay any transfer fees in the most recent summer window.

Some of the Addicks' big money signings from yester year paid dividends, while others were unable to justify the price tag that the South London club paid for them.

The club's record departures have been more lucrative than the money that they have spent in their recent history with the financial climate being a difficult one to navigate, with the Addicks competing below the top two tiers of English football since 2020.

Here, we have taken a look at Charlton's top ten most expensive signings and what they are up to now...

Francis Jeffers is amongst the Addicks most expensive signings, arriving from Arsenal in the summer of 2004.

The striker left for Blackburn Rovers two seasons later and Charlton did not see the return on their investment that they would have liked.

Five goals in 24 appearances in 2004/05 saw Jeffers fall below expectations and he hung up his boots after a spell at Accrington Stanley in 2013.

Jeffers has recently been involved in a coaching capacity at Everton and Ipswich Town.

Charlton made a profit on Andy Reid after bringing him in from Tottenham Hotspur in the summer of 2006.

The Irishman played for the Addicks for one season and a half, scoring twice in 16 Premier League appearances as the club were relegated in 2006/07, before moving on to Sunderland in January 2008.

Reid retired at his boyhood club, Nottingham Forest, where he made close to 300 appearances in his career and is currently on Steve Cooper's coaching staff at the City Ground.

Jonatan Johansson enjoyed a six-year spell at The Valley after signing from Rangers in the summer of 2000.

The 107-time Finland international left for Malmo in 2006 after scoring 28 times in 162 appearances for the Addicks.

The 47-year-old is the manager of Turun Palloseura in the second tier of Finnish football, having retired at the club back in 2011.

Johansson played for Hibernian and St Johnstone after leaving Malmo and is fondly remembered in SE7.

Kishishev also signed in the busy summer of 2000, following the Addicks winning the Championship title, and arrived from Bulgarian outfit Litex Lovech.

The defensive midfielder remained at the club for seven seasons and was capped by Bulgaria 85 times in his career.

Kishishev played for Leeds United, Leicester City and Brighton and Hove Albion after leaving Charlton and is currently involved at Bulgarian third tier side Chernomorets 1919 in a coaching capacity.

Kishishev retired from his playing career back in 2012.

Darren Bent is one of the club's record signings and departures, arriving from Ipswich Town in the summer of 2005.

The pacey striker was capped 12 times by England, scoring four times, and earned big money moves to Tottenham Hotspur, Sunderland and Aston Villa over the course of his career.

Bent last played for Derby County in 2018, and has become a regular pundit, particularly on national radio, since hanging up his boots.

Bent scored 37 goals in 79 appearances for the Addicks.

Charlton invested heavily in the services of Gary Rowett from Leicester City in the summer of 2002.

Rowett has become well known since his playing days for his managerial career, currently managing local rivals Millwall.

Rowett guided the Lions to the double over the Addicks in 2019/20 as the club were relegated back to League One under Lee Bowyer.

At 48, managing in the Premier League in the future looks a long-shot but consecutive play-off pushes with the Lions have enhanced his reputation further.

Souleymane Diawara arrived from Sochaux in the summer of 2006 and left the following year as the club were relegated from the top-flight.

The Senegalese centre back made 26 appearances in 2006/07 before moving to Bordeaux.

Diawara managed 51 caps for Senegal in his career that was largely spent in Ligue 1, later on moving to Marseille and Nice before retiring in 2015.

Diawara did not hit the standards that the club would have wanted, but they were well compensated for his services in moving back to France in the summer of 2007.

Charlton signed Claus Jensen from Bolton Wanderers in the summer of 2000, he stayed in South London for four seasons before moving on to Fulham.

The attacking midfielder scored 17 goals in 130 appearances for the club, including some memorable highlight reel finishes.

The Dane returned at the age of 30 at the end of his spell at Fulham, and he scored eight times in 47 appearances for the Denmark national team.

Jensen has moved into coaching since retiring and manages Nykobing in his homeland.

Tottenham Hotspur academy graduate Luke Young spent six years at Charlton between 2001 and 2007, before moving on after the club were relegated.

The right back played for Middlesbrough, Aston Villa and Queens Park Rangers before retiring in 2014.

Young was capped seven times by England in his career and was a reliable performer for the Addicks in the top-flight.

Young chipped in with four goals in 207 appearances for the Addicks as they threatened to compete for European football.

Jason Euell enjoyed two spells at Charlton but the first was the most lucrative, with the Addicks prizing him away from Wimbledon in the summer of 2001.

After five years at the club, scoring 38 goals in 170 games, Euell moved on to Middlesbrough.

The striker turned midfielder was capped three times by Jamaica in his career and returned to The Valley in the summer of 2011, hanging up his boots one year later.

Euell spent a long time on the coaching staff at Charlton before moving on to work under Nigel Pearson at Bristol City this summer.