Charlton Athletic snap up 'potent threat' from Luton Town

Attacker Milli Alli has completed his expected departure from Luton to join Charlton Athletic for an undisclosed fee, with Addicks boss Nathan Jones declaring he believes the forward will be a ‘potent threat’ for his new side.

The 26-year-old headed to Kenilworth Road from Exeter City in January 2025 when the Hatters were in the Championship themselves, going on to score four times in 16 outings, although he couldn’t help Town avoid relegation back into League One. Expected to be a major presence in the side’s anticipated assault on the promotion places last term, Alli began 10 out of the opening 11 league matches under Matt Bloomfield, scoring once, but when Jack Wilshere took over, he was quickly out of favour, starting just four times under the former England and Arsenal star.

Alli was then allowed to spend the second half of the campaign at Portsmouth, as he netted once in 21 matches, also gaining two assists, to help the Fratton Park club maintain their second tier status. The forward was rewarded for his efforts by making his Republic of Ireland debut in their 5-0 friendly win over Grenada in May, coming off the bench and providing an assist.

Back in Bedfordshire, a move away was always anticipated, and finally went through over the weekend, Alli joining up with former Luton chief Jones at the Valley, ending his time with five goals in 38 outings. Having already snapped several ex-Hatters since taking over at the southeast London side, including Thomas Kaminski, Reece Burke and Amari’i Bell, on bringing in another, Jones said: “We’re delighted to get Milli over the line.

"We want to evolve and to get better year in and year out - we’ve identified certain elements that we’ve needed, in terms of that player that can be one-v-one. He’s shown he can be a real potent threat at Championship level. We felt he was going to be a really good addition and we’ve worked hard to get that done.

"He provides options and competition for the players we’ve got and we think in that forward area we’ve got different one-v-one threats with TC (Tyreece Campbell), Karlan (Grant) and Rob Apter and we feel we’ve just added in that department. We’re still looking for even more quality but this, we feel, is a positive step in being able to evolve and be more potent. He’s hungry, he’s ambitious, he wants to do really well at this level and kick-on, we were really impressed by how much he wanted to join Charlton."

Having arrived at the Addicks, Alli himself admitted he was happy to feel desired again, continuing: "I spoke to the gaffer and it's always good to be wanted. The gaffer has said I’m the kind of player he wants this season to help the squad be as strong as possible. I’m happy to be here and can’t wait to get started, have a good time and show what I can do.

"The club’s goals are the exact same as mine, so we’re really trying to push this season and do the best we can. I can’t wait to play in front of the fans at The Valley and get them cheering and on their feet. You can expect pace, power, directness and goals - skills too."

Finally, after acquiring a player who had spells at Padiham, South Shields, Workington, Ashton United, Stockport County, Chorley and FC Halifax Town prior to moving to the Grecians in January 2024, Charlton’s managing director James Rodwell added: “We’re delighted to welcome Millenic to the club.

"We’ve been pleased with the defensive additions we've made so far in the summer window and, alongside the signing of Karlan Grant last weekend, Millenic’s arrival provides another attacking option with Championship experience and the capability to make a meaningful impact. His combination of athleticism, speed and technical quality aligns with the profile of wide players we targeted this summer and we look forward to seeing him contribute as we continue to build a competitive squad for the season ahead.”

Writing on Instagram about his exit from Kenilworth Road, Alli added: “I want to say a big thank you to everyone at the club for everything. The staff, players, and all the fans—you all made my experience one to remember. I’m so grateful for the experience and support. All the best for the future, and God bless.”