‘I’m sure that’s the case’ – Charlton boss braced for interest in hot property striker in January transfer window

Michael Appleton knows that Miles Leaburn could be set to be the subject of January transfer window interest.

The young Charlton striker marked his 50th first-team appearance for the Addicks with a goal in yesterday’s 4-0 win over Reading.

Leaburn, 19, missed the start of the season with an ankle injury but has scored six times in nine appearances in the current campaign.

Asked if he expected bigger clubs to be monitoring the former Chelsea youngster, Appleton said: “I’m sure that’s the case.

“Obviously it isn’t that we don’t welcome that, because ultimately as a football club you want to have the best players – or potentially the best players – in the league. With that comes interest from bigger clubs.

“From our point of view we see it as a positive because he is our player and we get to decide what we do with him.

“It wasn’t just his goal. He was real value in terms of his performance as well. He made Button make a big, big save just before he scored his goal as well. The pass from TC in the build-up to it wasn’t unnoticed.

“He’s put the burners on as well because Nelson Abbey, for them, was outstanding today. Time and time again he was the one, if we looked dangerous and like we’d get in, thwarted us a little bit. For him to get in behind him was impressive.”

PICTURES: PAUL EDWARDS