CHARLTON have made their seventh summer signing after securing Chelsea’s Alexei Smertin on a one-year loan deal.

Speculation had been mounting that Addicks boss Alan Curbishley was interested in the Russian midfielder and he was quick to make his move after the player indicated he was keen on regular first team football.

Smertin signed for the Premiership champions shortly after billionaire Roman Abramovich’s takeover of the club in the summer of 2003.

But he was immediately loaned out to Portsmouth before returning last season to make 16 appearances in the Blues’ title-winning campaign.

Smertin admitted he had had other offers but his family is settled in London and he did not want to uproot them.

Curbishley and Charlton plc chairman Richard Murray show no signs of slowing a spending spree that has put them among the busiest Premiership clubs in the transfer market.

Asked if the squad he is attempting to assemble will be the best in his 10 years in sole charge, Curbishley said he was unable to judge at present.

But he disclosed: "What I do know is that the wage bill will be the biggest in Charlton’s history."

Charlton have already snapped up Darren Bent in a £3million deal from Ipswich, Darren Ambrose for £1million from Newcastle, Kelly Youga, free from Lyon, Jonathan Spector on a season-long loan from Manchester United, former favourite Chris Powell from West Ham and Uruguay international skipper Gonzalo Sorondo on a year-long loan from Inter-Milan.

And former midfielder Lee Bowyer could rejoin the club after an unhappy stay at Newcastle.

All that Curbishley would say was: "There is a lot of transfer talk linking us with certain players.

"But right now they are at other clubs and the way we like to do things here is get the player in and then announce it.

"I want to shake-up the squad and bolster the ranks. By the time the transfer window closes we could have eight or nine new signings."

Curbishley said the hunt for new players had started as soon as the club reached 40 points and Premiership safety last season.