Charlton Athletic will be without three key players for Saturday’s League One promotion clash against Huddersfield Town, with manager Nathan Jones confirming Miles Leaburn, Josh Edwards and Daniel Kanu will all miss the game at The Valley.
The Addicks are in fine form at home, having won their last seven matches at The Valley, but face a stern test against the Terriers, who thrashed Crawley Town 5-1 in their previous outing. Both sides remain firmly in the hunt for a top-six finish with just weeks remaining in the campaign.
Jones gives fitness update
Speaking ahead of the match, Jones revealed the trio will be unavailable, though he stressed caution over rushing any of them back into action.
“It’s not a matter of days with Miles, it’s a week’s one. He won’t be available for the weekend, which gives someone else an opportunity. We’ve got to manage Miles slightly different to other players because he’s young and he’s obviously had an injury before. We just want to be really careful with him and we won’t rush it.”
Leaburn, 20, is one of Charlton’s most promising attacking prospects. The forward has been with the club since his youth days and made his first-team breakthrough during the 2022/23 season. Son of former Addicks striker Carl Leaburn, he has continued to impress with his physical presence and eye for goal.
Jones also provided a more hopeful update on Josh Edwards, the 23-year-old left-back who joined from Scottish side Dunfermline Athletic in 2023. Known for his energy and overlapping runs, Edwards has had a positive first season in SE7 but has been sidelined recently.
“Well Josh is a lot closer than he was a week ago. He’s had some training and then we’ll assess and see how he is.”
Meanwhile, Kanu, another highly rated academy product, will also be absent after picking up an ankle injury. The 19-year-old striker has featured regularly under Jones this season, offering pace and versatility across the frontline.
“Daniel just rolled his ankle so, again, we can’t rush it. We’ve just got to take our time and make sure that we handle him very well. Daniel won’t be out for as long as he was last time.”
Charlton’s depth will be tested in their bid to extend their home winning streak, but with the squad buoyed by recent results, confidence remains high at The Valley.
Writer’s view
Saturday’s clash with Huddersfield could be season-defining, and while missing Leaburn, Edwards and Kanu is far from ideal, Jones is right to protect his young talent. Charlton’s recent form shows they’re more than capable of adapting. If they can extend their home run to eight, it’ll speak volumes about the squad’s depth and belief.
