Charlton Athletic defender has ‘high ceiling’ and has made ‘brilliant’ start to his senior career in SE7

Charlton Athletic manager Dean Holden reckons Lucas Ness has had a “brilliant” season and reckons that the young centre-back has so much potential to unlock.

The 21-year-old slotted comfortably into the Addicks side after being recalled from a loan at National League strugglers Torquay United.

Ness was nerveless in an assured display at Old Trafford in the EFL Cup tie against Manchester United and only a patella knee tendon injury, picked up against Accrington on March 11, saw him drop out of the starting line-up.

Holden told the South London Press: “He should be fine for pre-season. We’re going to try and get him back fit before the end of this one, but there is no pressure for him to come back.

“Where that patella tendon is makes it a bit more tricky. If we push it too early it could set him back a bit, which then leads into the off season and potentially pre-season.

“The damage was not too bad thankfully, but there was something there on the scan. We’ll just manage it with rehab and strengthening, there’s no surgery.

“I’ve been really impressed with him. He has a fantastic temperament, really calm.

“Prior to me coming in I’d seen more of Zach Mitchell and Deji (Elerewe), because they were in and around the first team.

“Nessy was out at Torquay at the time. I started watching him in training and he played the Cheltenham game, his league debut, and he played on the left of a back three. I thought ‘who is this lad?’. It was a great loan. If he looks back at that loan, he wouldn’t be where he is now without that. It all has to fit into place.

“I don’t think anybody thought he would come back from that loan – Torquay were fighting at the wrong end of the table – and come back into a League One team and play at Old Trafford. It was a whirlwind for him. He handled it brilliantly.

“I remember late in the game at Old Trafford he was aggressive on the press and up on the halfway line, they slipped it down the side and his recovery was unbelievable.

“He’s got a good turn of pace. Lots to learn. He needs to get more aggressive at times but he’s young and there is loads of time for that.

“The raw credentials – he can play with the ball at his feet, he’s got a turn of pace and he’s good in the air.

“He’s got a high ceiling. He just needs to get that bit more nastiness – games will help with that.

“It’s been a brilliant season for him.”