Chuks Aneke reacts to devastating Charlton Athletic player update | OneFootball

Chuks Aneke sent a message on social media after Charlton Athletic confirmed Zach Mitchell will miss the rest of the season due to a knee injury.

Former Charlton Athletic striker Chuks Aneke has shown his support for Zach Mitchell after the defender was ruled out for the rest of the season with a serious knee injury.

The 21-year-old has come through the ranks at The Valley, but he has had to go out on loan in recent years in search of regular football.

After featuring for Colchester and Hibernian in recent years, Mitchell joined St. Johnstone for a second time in the previous window, and he has featured six times for the Perth outfit in the Premiership this season, and he has generally impressed.

Action images

Charlton Athletic confirm Zach Mitchell injury setback

However, Mitchell was forced off in St. Johnstone’s draw with Falkirk prior to the international break, and the club have been assessing his injury since.

And, their worst fears were confirmed, as Charlton and The Saints both shared an update on the player, who will be out for the remainder of the campaign.

It’s explained that Mitchell will return to London to start his recovery, with the defender sending a message to St. Johnstone after his loan was effectively over.

“I’m gutted not to be able to continue the season after what I feel has been a positive start with so much potential.

“I love playing for St Johnstone, and both of my spells at the club have been really incredible experiences that I’ll always be grateful for. Thank you to everyone who has made me feel part of such a great club, especially the fans for their incredible support and for always making me feel welcome. It’s been a pleasure to play for you.

“I’m proud to have been part of St Johnstone again, and I hope our paths cross in the future. Until then, I’ll be supporting the boys and wishing everyone at the club all the best for the rest of the season.”

Chuks Aneke reacts to Zach Mitchell injury blow

Whilst Mitchell was not going to play for Nathan Jones’ side this season, the youngster is someone who is seen as having the potential to play at this level in his career.

So, this is a real blow for the Addicks, and all connected to the club will echo the message that wished Mitchell well on his journey back to full fitness.

One former teammate also shared a response, as Aneke sent a broken-hearted emoji on Instagram after learning of the news.

The former striker spent around five years at Charlton across two spells, and despite Mitchell’s age, he did make 10 appearances during the 2022/23 campaign, when Aneke was at the club.

The duo will have also come up against each other directly in training in that period, so Aneke, who was appointed as a scout at Shrewsbury earlier this year, will clearly have sympathy for his former teammate.

Zach Mitchell can still make an impact at Charlton Athletic

This is the injury that all players fear, and there’s no denying that it’s really unfortunate for Mitchell, who had started the season well for St. Johnstone.

But, these things happen in football, and, at 21, there will be no doubt about Mitchell’s ability to get back to his best in the years to come.

His deal with Charlton expires in 2027, but the club do have a one-year option, and it wouldn’t be a surprise if they did trigger that in the circumstances.

All Mitchell can do is focus on his recovery, and he will hope to be back and involved for pre-season ahead of the 2027/28 season, where another loan may be on the cards.