George Jones reports
Charlton Athletic are delighted to confirm the signing of Jake Forster-Caskey on a permanent transfer from Brighton & Hove Albion.
The 22-year-old midfielder has put pen to paper on a two-and-a-half-year deal at The Valley and joins the Addicks for an undisclosed fee.
Forster-Caskey worked under Manager Karl Robinson at Milton Keynes Dons last season and becomes our second addition of the January transfer window following the loan signing of Jay Dasilva from Chelsea.
Robinson said: “I am really pleased to sign Jake, he is a real talent who has shown his quality in the Championship and to be able to attract him to League One is a strong statement of intent and shows what a big club Charlton Athletic is.
“When I joined Charlton, I earmarked him as the type of player we’d need but I thought it would be difficult with him being on loan at Rotherham, to sign him on a permanent deal is fantastic for us.
“I had Jake at Milton Keynes last season and he did so well for me that we loaned him again in January. He’s a talented midfielder with a real quality who will add a lot to our team, I’m looking forward to seeing him at the Sparrows Lane training ground and working with him again.”
Forster-Caskey said: “I’m delighted to join Charlton, I’ve been going out on loan for the last year, so I’m delighted to finally get a home. The club has got ambitions, so have I, and so does the Manager.
"We’re all looking up. I want to get back to the Championship and so does this club. It’s a huge club and I just can’t wait to get started.”
Forster-Caskey joined Brighton’s academy in 2007 and progressed through the ranks before making his senior debut against Yeovil Town in May 2009 when he became Albion’s youngest ever first-team debutant.
In 2012/13, the cultured midfielder joined Oxford United on loan where he made 16 appearances, scoring three goals, and at the end of that campaign he returned to the south coast to help guide the Seagulls into the Championship play-offs.
He played 34 times as Brighton again secured a top-six finish the following year and in 2014/15 he made a further 29 appearances in the Championship.
Capped by England in every age group from U16 to U21, Forster-Caskey linked up with Robinson at Stadium MK last season. He spent the first half of this term on loan at Rotherham United and joins the Addicks having made a total of 82 appearances for Brighton.
Forster-Caskey’s step father, Nicky Forster, played 10 games for Charlton Athletic in 2010, scoring two goals while playing in the same first-team squad as current Addick Chris Solly.
Stay tuned to cafc.co.uk for Forster-Caskey's first interview as a Charlton player.