Charlton Athletic are pleased to confirm the signing of Thierry Small.
The 19-year-old left-sided defender has agreed a deal until the end of the season, with a club option of an additional year.
Upon sealing his switch, Small said: “I’m so happy that the deal is done and I’m excited and optimistic for the future now.
“I’m an explosive player who likes to get at people one-on-one. I’m also very passionate and you’ll see a lot of character and a lot of fight. I’ll give everything I can when I’m on the pitch to make sure the fans get a good performance.”
Technical Director Andy Scott said: “Thierry is a young player that has been at a number of very good clubs and we think that he’s got the talent, the physicality and the mentality to perform at this level.
“With it being a short-term deal, it’s an opportunity for him to prove to us that he’s capable of being with us for longer. He gives us more competition on the left-hand side which is an area that we've been looking to add to."
Born in Solihull, Small began his youth career at West Bromwich Albion before joining Everton at the age of 11.
The defender made history in January 2021 when he became Everton’s youngest ever player. Aged just 16 years and 176 days, he made his debut during Everton’s FA Cup triumph at home to Sheffield Wednesday.
Small joined Southampton in the summer of 2021 amidst interest from Europe’s biggest clubs and made his senior Saints bow in February 2022 in an FA Cup tie against Coventry City.
The teenager, who has represented England at U17 and U18 level, spent time out on loan at Port Vale and St Mirren during the 2022/23 campaign.
He re-joined the Scottish Premiership side on a season-long loan last summer, before being recalled by Southampton in January 2024.
