Charlton Athletic are in talks with AFC Wimbledon over a transfer for highly rated forward Junior Nkeng, according to Pete O’Rourke.
Charlton Athletic are working to land a late transfer coup on Deadline Day, with talks underway to sign AFC Wimbledon forward Junior Nkeng.
Several clubs across England and Europe are said to have considered a move for the 19-year-old this summer, following an impressive breakthrough campaign in League One last term.
Transfer specialist Pete O’Rourke now reports that it is the Addicks who are frontrunners to land a deal, with active talks into the final hours of the deadline.
Nottingham Forest and Serie A side Lecce are both named as potential suitors for Nkeng but the London outfit are said to be ‘confident’ that the winger will be a Charlton Athletic player by the deadline tonight.
Nkeng was born in Barcelona but began his journey into football with the academy at Tottenham Hotspur, before eventually moving to AFC Wimbledon.
The forward has enjoyed loan spells at Kingstonian, Chelmsford City and Chatham Town but had made himself an important part of the AFC Wimbledon first team over the past 12 months.
The player’s versatility was used as a real asset to the League One outfit, with the youngster deployed as a left winger, left back, right winger, central midfielder and even centre forward at points last term.
Nkeng scored two goals in the third tier, both coming in a brace against Leyton Orient in March, and has been used as a substitute on two occasions so far this season.
Johnnie Jackson: ‘Obvious’ Nkeng would attract suitors
One of those cameos was against Wigan Athletic last weekend as Nkeng helped inspire AFC Wimbledon to a 1-0 victory, causing problems for the Latics defence and helping push his side to an 88th-minute winner, scored by Myles Hippolute.
Speaking after that game, AFC Wimbledon boss Johnnie Jackson admitted that the forward could be on his way out of the Cherry Red Record Stadium before the deadline.
Jackson said: “Hopefully he is with us, but the performances that he has been putting in are obviously going to catch people’s attention.
“With 48 hours to go, I don’t know what is going to happen. So selfishly, I hope he is here.”
The Charlton Athletic move for the player comes following the departures of Daniel Kanu, Tanto Olaofe, Gassan Ahadme and Lyndon Dykes this summer.
The Addicks had been set to add Crystal Palace winger Jesurun Rak-Sakyi to their squad last week, but a deal for the wide man fell through late on.
Nkeng would add a similar profile to Rak-Sakyi, but is four years younger, pointing to a potentially higher ceiling for his future at Charlton Athletic.
Junior Nkeng: Player Profile & Statistics
Age: 19 / Position: Forward
Current Club: AFC Wimbledon
2025/26 League One Stats: 24 appearances, 2 goals, 0 assists.
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