ALAN PARDEW has warned that Charlton will be at the mercy of Premier League predators wanting to sign the club’s best players in the January transfer window.

Charlton’s re-emergence with a new-look team has established the club among the Championship promotion favourites and players of the calibre of skipper Andy Reid, China captain Zheng Zhi, Jose Semedo and Luke Varney are certain to attract interest.

“I know that Watford, West Bromwich Albion, Sheffield United and ourselves will experience it,” he said.

“It will be extremely difficult because the Premier League is armed with such financial clout that it’s at the forefront of your mind.

“You can’t bury your head in the sand and say that a certain player won’t go as he loves it here because we cook nice food and the training’s good. I’m very much on my guard about losing my best players and the need to have a contingency plan in place.

“I have a few verbal promises that players are happy to stay here for the year and I hope they will be honoured. But I’m not kidding myself because all the squad will be vulnerable in the transfer window.”