‘Rewarded’ – Boss Hails Call Up For Star On Loan From Charlton Athletic | OneFootball

Richard Pelham/Getty Images

Walsall interim boss Darren Byfield is of the view that Charlton Athletic loanee Daniel Kanu getting a call-up for Sierra Leone is a reward for his goals and performances at the Saddlers.

The Lambeth-born attacking talent started his career with the Addicks, where he grew up in the London club’s youth system.

He is rated very highly at Charlton and he made his senior debut for the club four years ago, when he was only 18 years old.

Back in 2023, Kanu was offered a new deal at the Valley and his current deal runs until the summer of 2027 at the club.

Kanu has 71 senior appearances to his name for the Addicks, who loaned the striker out to League Two club Walsall last summer after they spent big money on multiple forward options following their promotion to the Championship.

The 21-year-old striker impressed at the Saddlers early doors, as one of his team-mates hailed Kanu for his performances at the League Two club.

He has been fairly consistent at Walsall with his goalscoring numbers and he has 20-goal contributions in 38 games for the side across all competitions.

However, Kanu’s goal at the weekend against Newport County was his first since his early February strike against Barnet in a 3-1 loss.

Saddlers interim boss Byfield hailed the Charlton loan star for his most recent goal, stressing that Kanu always shines in his overall play, even if he does not score.

Sierra Leone have called up the 21-year-old frontman for their upcoming friendly games against Azerbaijan and Saint Lucia, and Byfield is clear that his call-up is a clear reflection of his Walsall performances.

“The thing is with Daniel that he always does well for the team and plays well”, the Saddlers’ interim told Walsall’s media (1:51) about the Charlton loanee.

“Even when he is not scoring, he scares the opposition.

“He starts to drop [deep] and gives us more space to play.

“And obviously, he is being called up and rewarded for his performances and goals.”

Mid-season, when Charlton were struggling for goals, one former hitman advised the club to recall Kanu from his Walsall loan.

However, the Addicks decided to let him continue at the Bescot and it remains to be seen if he will be in contention to fight for a first team spot under Nathan Jones in the summer.

Kanu last played for his nation two years ago after he made his Sierra Leone senior debut in 2023, and he will look to make the most out of his call-up in the coming days.