Charlton Athletic: Nathan Jones could have secret weapon during League One run-in | OneFootball

Charlton Athletic boss Nathan Jones may put faith in an academy graduate as the Addicks chase promotion to the Championship.

Charlton Athletic manager Nathan Jones could have a secret weapon in the form of Micah Mbick that he can call upon during the League One run-in.

The Addicks currently find themselves inside the play-off places in the third tier, and a win at home against Northampton Town on Good Friday would secure a top-six finish, as well as keep their slim hopes of automatic promotion alive.

Charlton have been without a couple of their strikers for a number of weeks, with Miles Leaburn ruled out for the rest of the season with a quad injury and Daniel Kanu having missed out on the last six matchday squads with an issue of his own.

Meanwhile, summer signing Gassan Ahadme has been limited to just two substitute appearances in 2025, with it seeming as though Jones does not fully trust the former Ipswich Town forward to lead the line at present.

Nathan Jones spoke about his striking options in an interview with London News Online earlier this season, during which he highlighted what he wants from his attacking players.

"We have three nines and three runners or second strikers," he said.

"We have real good balance so at any point we can play how we want to play because we have size, pace, athleticism, power and goals."

Now that Leaburn and Kanu are injured, Ahadme is out of favour, and Chuks Aneke is restricted to making substitute appearances due to his injury record, there could be opportunities for another striker to make an impact between now and the end of the season.

Jones could trust a Charlton academy graduate

Nathan Jones has made no secret of the fact that he relies on his 'game-changers' to make a difference from the bench, so it should perhaps come as no surprise that the Addicks would be top of the League One table if only goals scored after the 75th minute counted.

Now that his attacking options are more limited than they were earlier in the season, the Welshman could trust an 18-year-old striker to feature in his matchday squads during the remainder of the campaign.

Micah Mbick was handed his first League One appearance of the season when he came off the bench during the away win against Cambridge United at the weekend, and the teenager showed what he can bring to the side by holding the ball up and winning a foul to help run the clock down in the closing stages.

There is no doubt that the youngster has the size, pace, athleticism and power that Jones admitted he looks for in a striker, and if he is given a few more chances to prove himself before the end of the season, he may well show that he knows where the back of the net is as well.

Mbick could prove to be a secret weapon

Not many people will know about Mbick outside SE7, but Charlton supporters will be well aware that he could develop into a very good striker during the next few years.

He scored three minutes into his debut for the Addicks as a 17-year-old in an FA Cup tie against Cray Valley Paper Mills last term, during a season in which he netted a remarkable 44 goals across the course of the campaign.

The youngster spoke about what he is capable of in an interview with London News Online last year, while he was also said to be setting his sights on first-team action this season.

"I can hold the ball up," he said.

"I don't mind being a target and I also like running in behind and scoring goals in the box."

It looks like Mbick will be in and around the Charlton first-team squad between now and the end of the season, and he could turn out to be a secret weapon during the run-in, especially given that he ticks all the boxes for what Nathan Jones wants in a centre-forward.