Alex Mitchell makes Charlton Athletic exit - picking Plymouth Argyle transfer over Wycombe Wanderers move

Defender signs three-year contract with League One club

Alex Mitchell has completed a permanent transfer from Charlton Athletic to Plymouth Argyle.

The 24-year-old centre-back has signed a deal with the League One club until the summer of 2029.

Alex Mitchell before a pre-season friendly at Wealdstone last season/Picture: Kyle Andrews

We reported at the end of last month that Wycombe Wanderers had bid for Mitchell.

The Chairboys’ offer was thought to be in the region of £200,000. But Mitchell had no desire to make that move and had his heart set on a return to Home Park.

He joined the Devon outfit on a season-long loan in the middle of August. He was voted Plymouth Argyle Supporters’ Player of the Year in April. He played 48 matches last season - 47 of those for the Pilgrims. His only outing in Charlton colours was the 3-1 EFL Cup win over Stevenage in August.

“I’m so happy that we’ve got Mitch back with us,” said Plymouth head coach Tom Cleverley. “He was superb for us last season, and everyone knows what a huge presence he is, both in the defence, and off the field.

“You need characters like him in a group if you are to be successful. What is also so nice is his desire to return. He clearly enjoyed playing in green and white, and for him to want to come back is very pleasing to us.”

Argyle director of football Derek Adams added: “We knew at the end of last season that we wanted to bring Alex back to Home Park, and as soon as we were in a position that we could make it happen, we moved quickly.

“I know this signing will be very popular with the Green Army, which is always a positive thing. He is already a good, strong defender, and at 24 is going to continue to develop. It’s great to have him back.”

Mitchell joined the Addicks from Millwall in June 2024 and had one year left on his contract.

Mitchell was a mainstay in the first half of that 2024-25 season - playing the full 90 minutes in 23 of their opening 24 League One matches.

He had started 19 successive league games before he was benched for a 2-0 victory at Bristol Rovers at the end of January.

Mitchell was either an unused substitute or not in the match day squad for 14 out of 19 matches, starting with the fixture against the Gas, and three of his appearances saw him introduced into the action in the 89th minute.

He started and scored in the 3-1 win over Burton Albion on the final day of the regulation season but did not get any action in their play-off ties against Wycombe Wanderers and Leyton Orient.

Mitchell dropped even further away from the first-team picture since promotion with the arrivals of Reece Burke and Collins Sichenje, also right-footed options, while Kayne Ramsay can play as a centre-back or in the full-back slot.

“We thank Alex for all his hard work and all he did for us,” Charlton boss Nathan Jones told the club’s official website. “He played a pivotal role in the first half of our promotion season and then he obviously had a very successful loan at Plymouth.

“He was brilliant around the place, fantastic for the environment and we wish him all the best. He was a pleasure to coach, a pleasure to have around and he’s been a credit to himself.”

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