Charlton Athletic boss ‘very confident’ of defender agreeing new deal

Charlton Athletic manager Nathan Jones is “very confident” that the club will be able to agree a contract extension with Lloyd Jones.

The Addicks centre-back scored in Tuesday night’s 2-1 victory at Bolton Wanderers which boosted their prospects of being in the League One play-off race.

Jones is due to be a free agent in the summer. He signed for Charlton in the summer of 2023 after his Cambridge United contract expired.

“We’re in discussions with Lloyd,” said the Addicks boss, when asked by the South London Press for an update. “Lloyd wants to stay. We love Lloyd…I love Lloyd. I like working with Lloyd and I’m sure Lloyd enjoys working with me from what I hear, that’s not me being presumptuous in any way.

“We have got a good relationship, so I don’t think that is anything to do with it.

“Obviously he is in good form, so that is the sticking point at the minute. But I’m very confident we will get to a solution soon because he is important to us.

“The thing we have to remember is he is playing his best football now. I took him to Luton and I wouldn’t say he had a tough time, but it wasn’t as fruitful as he would’ve liked because he was behind a couple more experienced and very good centre-halves in Matty Pearson and Sonny Bradley.

“So he had to be patient. Now he is here and he made that position his own. He has turned into a leader. He has added goals and maturity that is showing. I’m really enjoying the performances and the leadership qualities he is putting in because we always knew that was in Lloyd Jones.”

PICTURE: KYLE ANDREWS