'New signing' - Charlton Athletic could be handed huge boost for Cambridge United and Blackpool

Charlton Athletic could see promising forward Miles Leaburn return to first team action in time to face Cambridge United and Blackpool this month in what would be a huge boost for Nathan Jones.

The Addicks boss has said that the return of the 20-year-old will 'categorically' be like a 'new signing' after his time on the sidelines. Leaburn hasn't made a first team appearance since last November and is yet to play under Jones, but has clearly impressed the manager in training.

The youngster, who has returned from action for the under-21s, is unlikely to be used against Rotherham United this weekend with the trip to Shrewsbury Town on Saturday 14 also perhaps coming too soon. Providing an update on the player's fitness to the Charlton Athletic website, Jones said it would be 'days not weeks' until Leaburn returned to first team action.

He said: "He’s probably days – and that could be double figures in days – more than weeks away from actually playing in a game so that’s a good thing. We’ve got to be careful with him and we’ve got to push him now in training to get him to the levels where we feel we can expose him to a match and then we’ll have no fear in doing that.”

Charlton Athletic had confirmed that Leaburn returned to full team training on August 29 having undergone a successful hamstring injury in December 2023. That injury was picked up during a League One outing against Cheltenham Town.

Jones' timeframe could make a Football League Trophy return against Cambridge United on Tuesday 17 or against Blackpool on Saturday 21 in league action realistic.

Praising the player last month, Jones said: "Miles is back in full training and looking very, very good. We're really pleased. We obviously can’t rush him. It’s difficult to say he’s ahead of schedule because we always had the worst-case scenario and the best-case scenario - he’s nowhere near the worst case.

“He is looking something very, very different and we’re delighted to have him back. It’s a cliché but it is like a new signing for me because I have seen him play - I just haven’t see him play for me.

“He is categorically for me like a new signing - and a wonderful new signing. Because if I could profile a centre-forward he literally ticks all the boxes in terms of what we need."