Charlton Athletic boss hints at longer deal for former Millwall loan midfielder

Charlton Athletic boss Nathan Jones has hinted at a longer stay for Allan Campbell beyond the 2024-25 League One season.

The Addicks snapped up the Scottish midfielder on loan earlier this week.

Jones is a huge admirer of Campbell – he was Luton Town manager when the player made a permanent transfer from Motherwell.

The 26-year-old Glaswegian could feature for Charlton in tomorrow’s League One match at Reading.

Campbell joined Millwall last season but struggled to hold down a starting spot as he played just 728 minutes of Championship football.

He featured 160 times for Motherwell and has played 86 matches for the Hatters.

“Look, whatever happened at Millwall happened at Millwall,” Jones told the South London Press. “There is a lot of context around why he didn’t play as many games as he should have there.

“He did under the manager who signed him and then there were two managers who didn’t sign him – and Millwall have to look after themselves and not Allan Campbell.

“I signed him specifically for what we needed from an eight in his position. He was outstanding for me and kept getting better for me. I left the club, he continued that and they got promoted to the Premier League.

“Now he didn’t play in the Premier League but he was instrumental in getting that club to the Premier League. For us to get him is a huge, huge coup because he is not a League One player – he’s a Charlton player. That’s what I said: ‘You’re not coming to play in League One – you’re coming to play for Charlton’. That is what I wanted him to get his head around.

“He is a fantastic player and adds real competition and real strength to an already very strong and very good midfield.”

Jones has talked before about avoiding loan signings and that if the club do them there is an ability to keep the player for the longer term.

Campbell is thought to be out of contract next summer.

Asked about the potential for him to be around beyond the end of this season, Jones said: “He is someone I’d like to move forward. I already know he can play in the Championship and be very successful in the Championship.

“So, it’s an easy decision for us. There will be more on that in the coming time on what we can do around that.

“We wanted to make sure we had him and we’re very grateful to Luton for allowing him to come to us. It’s a very, very good signing for us and we’re very pleased with that.”

PICTURE: BRIAN TONKS