The Addicks have been securing the future of their talented youngsters recently.
Josh Staunton, Mikhail Kennedy, Ezri Konsa, Harry Lennon and Regan Charles-Cook are amongst those who have signed extended deals.
Charlton are moving towards their goal of producing a large number of their own first team players.
Against Leeds on Saturday, Karel Fraeye fielded seven British and Irish born players – Stephen Henderson, Chris Solly, Harry Lennon, Tareiq Holmes-Dennis, Johnnie Jackson, Jordan Cousins and Ademola Lookman – in his starting XI, all bar Henderson and Jackson came through the club’s youth system.
In addition Nick Pope, Morgan Fox, Regan Charles-Cook, and Karlan Ahearne-Grant were on the substitutes.
Producing young talent is one thing, keeping hold of it for a reasonable length of time, quite another.
The current jewel in the crown is fleet-footed attacker, Ade Lookman. The player is level headed and believes his career would be best served by penning a new contract at The Valley.
The indications are positive and Lookman is expected to sign a long term deal this week.
The current building programme at the Sparrows Lane training ground complex – which is designed to get the academy upgraded to Category One status – will further enhance the prospect of attracting youngsters good enough to develop into first team players.
The youngsters will obviously have poor games at times, and will take time to fully develop, but the transition to being more reliant on home produced players is well under way.
TAGS: Charlton Athletic