Transfer news: Charlton manager Alan Pardew has begun his rebuilding for the relegation fight ahead by clinching the signing of Manchester City defender Ben Thatcher in a £500,000 deal.
With the Addicks six points adrift of Premiership safety and boasting an appalling defensive record of 40 goals conceded in 22 matches, Pardew has brought in the 31-year-old while allowing fellow defender Djimi Traore to join Portsmouth.
The former Liverpool player, 26, moves to the south coast just half a season after joining Charlton - with the London club suffering a £1 million loss on the Frenchman they signed for £2 million in August.
And Pardew is confident the arrival of Thatcher, who was banned for eight games earlier in the season for an horrific challenge on Portsmouth's Pedro Mendes, will add to steel to the Addicks' struggling defence.
He said: "I feel we are going to need a tougher, harder edge if we are going to get out of this — and I do not mean that in an undisciplined way.
"I looked at Ben, saw he was available and that he would improve us. "We have conceded more goals than anybody else and I feel we need a bit more dialogue in the back four.
"Ben Thatcher brings great experience and spirit to the team, and strength. He is going to be the sort of character we are going to need.
"I just feel we need to strengthen up a bit and need a bit more experience of what the Premiership is about."
Portsmouth have made their first signing of the transfer window with defender Djimi Traore moving to Fratton Park from Charlton on a two-and-a-half-year contract.
The 26-year-old, who only joined Charlton from Liverpool last summer, is joined on the south coast by France under-21 midfielder Arnold Mvuemba on loan from Rennes until the end of the season.
Traore, a Champions League winner in 2005, has signed for an undisclosed fee which is thought to be around £1million.
Mvuemba, a 21-year-old all-action midfielder, has signed on until May with an option for Pompey to buy him outright.
Meanwhile, the day's biggest-money move saw Luton striker Rowan Vine join Coca-Cola Championship leaders Birmingham for an undisclosed fee, which is believed to be in the region of £3million.
The 24-year-old, who was also a target for West Brom, has put pen to paper on a three-and-a-half-year contract which will keep him at St Andrews until the summer of 2010.
Birmingham's Championship rivals Norwich have also moved to sign Sunderland striker Chris Brown on a two-and-a-half-year deal for £325,000. The 22-year-old is set to make his debut against Plymouth at Carrow Road on Saturday.
On a busy day for the north-east club, striker Jon Stead also left the Stadium of Light to join Sheffield United for an initial fee of £750,000.
Derby had previously made their own offer for the former Blackburn striker which was rejected, but the Rams have wasted no time in moving on by capturing Scotland winger Gary Teale from Wigan for £600,000.
