Academy prospect Ralfi Hand has penned his first professional contract with the club.
Hand joined the Addicks' esteemed academy at the age of 16 and was part of Jason Pearce's title-winning U18s team last season.
The talented midfielder has established himself in the U21s set-up this season.
After signing his deal, Hand said: “It feels unbelievable, it feels really good. I’ve worked really hard up until this point to obviously get here and it's just the start now. I've got to push on from here.
“It’s very inspiring when you see boys my age and around similar ages getting in and around the first team, you can see there is a pathway here. Hopefully my time will come and I will take that chance when it comes."
Academy Director Steve Avory added: “We're delighted and Ralfi deserves that first professional contract. He came to us when he was almost 17 because he started his scholarship late and straight away when he came on trial, the first thing that impressed me was that he has such a crisp, clean contact on the ball and passes it very well across a range of distances.
“He's a midfielder who can build attacks for you and be involved at the end of attacks. He has a terrific strike whereby he has scored goals from distance - including set plays. Off the pitch, he's a good personality to have around the place. What he shows in training every day is that he loves the game and is dedicated. He wants to listen and learn, which he has done."
Charlton fans can support the academy by signing up to the Valley Gold scheme. Valley Gold enables fans to support the club’s academy in unearthing the talents of tomorrow, as well as giving them the chance to win cash prizes.
Click here for more information on how you can become a Valley Gold member.
