Charlton Athletic set to sign talented attacker who Nottingham Forest enquired for | OneFootball

Charlton are set to add exciting winger Junior Nkeng to their ranks from AFC Wimbledon

Charlton Athletic are advancing in talks to secure exciting young winger Junior Nkeng from AFC Wimbledon.

The Addicks have gotten off to the best start possible this season, being the only side out of the 72 clubs in the EFL to have won all three of their games.

Nathan Jones has reverted to a back four to begin the campaign, following a more robust back-five system last year, which helped them remain compact and grind out results to remain in the division in their first year back.

It's allowed for the more natural wide forwards at the club to thrive, with Tyreece Campbell on the scoresheet in three of their five games so far, and the returning Karlan Grant popping up with the winning goal against Preston North End on Saturday.

Charlton Athletic set to add to their wide areas with Junior Nkeng arrival

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And according to Pete O'Rourke, Charlton are set to add more raw quality to those winger positions, as they're advancing in talks with AFC Wimbledon over a move for Nkeng.

The young Spaniard only just turned 19 in August, and burst onto the scene in the second half of last season as an energetic, forward-thinking winger. The 2.66 dribbles per 90 were the most of any left-winger in the third tier, and the fourth-highest tally in the entire division.

Nkeng missed the opening few games of the current campaign, but made his return last Thursday in the EFL Cup against Fulham and then came off the bench on Sunday against Wigan Athletic for his first league appearance of the season.

He may not have contributed to their winning goal against the Tics, but his presence gave Gary Caldwell's side something to worry about off the right, and the anticipation whenever he got the ball was that he'd try and make something happen, which is always exciting.

Charlton set to beat off Nottingham Forest and Lecce interest to bring Junior Nkeng to the Valley

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Pete O'Rourke would go on to report that Charlton are confident of bringing Nkeng in, despite the 19-year-old being the subject of enquiries from Serie A side Lecce and Premier League outfit Nottingham Forest earlier this summer.

Bringing in a young, exciting player with plenty of potential ahead of top-flight opposition just emphasises the ambition that Charlton currently have following their survival last season and strong opening to the campaign this time around.

It also indicates that the 19-year-old could be set for a decent number of Championship minutes at the Valley, whereas he'd be easily touted for loan moves if he moved to Serie A or the Premier League.

Nkeng is a raw talent and needs time on the field to improve, and Charlton could give him that, with the club building a strong young core to come off the bench and impact games this year.

Junior Nkeng will fit in with youthful Charlton Athletic forwards if a move is completed

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Charlton's academy is one of the more underrated setups in the EFL currently, with numerous exciting young talents earning first-team minutes during the Addicks' promotion campaign from League One.

And it doesn't seem that the formation change is all that's coming back from that 2024/25 term, either, as Nathan Jones is putting his trust in young, homegrown stars once more, whether that be Campbell or Miles Leaburn starting games, or the likes of teenagers Micah Mbick and Alan Mwamba off the bench.

Nkeng would fit right into that youthful, exciting attacking core at the Valley, and, like against Wigan on Sunday, his introduction late in games could see momentum swing in Charlton's favour.