Charlton Snap Up Chinese Skipper

Alan Pardew today completed his first signing as Charlton manager and is hoping to wrap up a second as he looks to strengthen his relegation-threatened squad.

China captain Zheng Zhi has arrived at The Valley on loan from Shandong Luneng until the end of the season, with a view to making the move permanent, while Scottish defender Steven Pressley has undergone a medical at the club. "The versatile China captain [Zheng] will join from Shandong Luneng initially for the rest of the 2006-07 campaign," confirmed a Charlton statement.

Twenty-six-year-old Zheng, who can play either in defence or midfield, had a two-day trial at the club during Les Reed's brief tenure. He scored 21 goals for Shandong Luneng earlier this year and is the current Chinese footballer of the year. "I won't deny I'm the best footballer in China, but it's only in China," said Zheng. "At the moment the most important thing for me is to keep my feet in the Premier League first."

Former Hearts skipper Pressley, meanwhile, has visited Charlton to discuss a move, although his agent revealed that the Scottish champions Celtic are also interested in a possible deal.

"He needed to have that meeting with Charlton and he needed to meet the manager," said Blair Morgan, who accompanied his client to the Addicks' 2-2 draw with Fulham on Wednesday. "He had a medical too while down there but nothing should be read into that. It's just so it's been done and dealt with. It now comes down to two excellent offers from two clubs - one in England and one in Scotland."