Miles Leaburn has caught the eye in pre-season at Charlton Athletic and the 18-year-old may remain part of Ben Garner's first team plans heading into the new League One campaign.

The striker, along with five other academy scholars, signed his first professional contract with the Addicks this morning, as was announced on the club's website.

The Addicks made the largest commitment to Leaburn out of the group of six that also included Jason Adigun, Matt Dench, Tolu Ladapo, Mack Reilly and Seydil Toure, tying him down to a deal at The Valley until the summer of 2025.

The physical forward bagged a brace in the Addicks' 6-1 win over Dartford on Saturday, and supporters have been enthused by his performances, including a second half cameo in a 1-0 friendly defeat to Kilmarnock during the club's pre-season tour in Spain.

Miles Leaburn is the son of former striker Carl, who made 344 appearances for the Addicks, and club employee Tracey, culminating in floods of support for the 18-year-old's development, and a collective hope that he can go on to lead the line for the South Londoners.

Leaburn is a versatile forward at this stage of his career, and has played out wide in pre-season, but with his physical stature possibly developed beyond his years, there is a chance that he goes on to become an outright number nine, the same position his father played.

The Verdict

Despite off-pitch problems in recent years, the Addicks have continued to churn out impressive players from their youth setup, with Dillon Phillips, Alfie Doughty and Mason Burstow all moving on to higher places since relegation to League One.

Charlton do not boast a depth of options in the final third at the moment, with Josh Davison unproven in the third tier and Chuks Aneke's fitness not reliable, Leaburn could become a key member of the squad to keep Jayden Stockley on his toes.

The 18-year-old's versatility should stand him in good stead as well, with Garner hoping to utilise width in his 'total football' approach at The Valley.