KARLAN Grant said it was an “unbelievable feeling” after the forward returned to his boyhood club Charlton Athletic on a free transfer from West Bromwich Albion.
Grant, 28, signed a two-year deal almost twelve years after he made his senior debut in professional football with the Addicks.
He made 98 appearances, scoring 21 goals, and after loans with Cambridge United and Crawley Town he left in January 2019 to join Premier League Huddersfield Town.
Grant scored four goals iin the top flight before netting nineteen in the Championship in 2019-20.
The Baggies paid £15million for him in October 2020 and he went on to score 35 goals in 175 games while at The Hawthorns.
Former England underage international Grant has scored 94 goals in 387 career appearances.
“It’s an unbelievable feeling,” Grant said on the club’s website. “I was a boy when I left and I think I’m coming back as a man. I’ve got a lot of experience under my belt and I know what I can bring. When I was here before, I was younger and I was raw. I’ve matured a lot as a player and I can’t wait to get back out there.
“I’ve always looked out for Charlton since I left. I’ve been so fond of the club. To be here now, knowing how much Charlton gave to me – truly amazing.”
Charlton boss Nathan Jones has experience working with the club’s third signing of the summer.
Jones said: “I’m absolutely delighted to have got the signing of Karlan over the line. He’s someone I’ve known since he was fifteen when I was at the football club and is someone who made a big impression on me back in the early days. I’ve monitored him for a long time.
“What we’re trying to do in terms of our evolution is add more quality to the squad and he does that. He’s someone with fantastic pedigree in the Premier League and in the Championship, especially.
“He did fantastically here before and he had a real desire to come back. I wanted to be the one to bring him home. He’s one of our own, he’s done fantastically for the football club and I’m delighted to add a player of Karlan’s quality to our squad.”
Meanwhile, midfielder Karoy Anderson has left to join League One Blackpool in a permanent deal.
Jones revealed the main reason for the departure of the 21-year-old, who made 88 Addicks appearances, 46 of them in the club’s League One promotion-winning campaign in 2024-25.
“Karoy’s been magnificent since I came in, he scored some vital goals in the first six months I was here and then he was a really valued and productive member in our promotion year,” Jones said. “He played games in the Championship but wanted to play week-in, week-out, and that’s something we couldn’t guarantee.
“For the second half of last season, he went on loan to Blackpool and did fantastically well. They’ve come in and wanted to buy him. Karoy would’ve been a valued squad member here, but with the way that we want to evolve we couldn’t guarantee him that game time so we felt it was only fair to allow him to go and to play regular first-team football.
“We wish him all the best – he’s a wonderful kid and he’s been a wonderful servant for us. He’s someone that we care deeply about and we hope that he has a wonderful career, because he deserves it. He’s always welcome back here because he’s one of our own.”
Anderson said: “To those that have supported me and the club over the years, I just want to say a very big thank you. From going to The Valley as an academy player every week, hoping to reach that stage, to then stepping out on to The Valley and living out those dreams has been a surreal experience for me and that’s credit to all of those who make Charlton the club that it is.
“I’d like to thank Steve Avory, Rhys Williams, Jason Pearce, Hamza Serrar, Daniel Gill, Dave Huzzey, Joe Francis and many, many others who worked with me tirelessly and dedicated time to improve and develop me over the years.
“I’m grateful for all of the managers I’ve had over the years who gave me an opportunity to play for the club I’ve been at from the age of eight, and the manager Nathan Jones and his staff who navigated the club to promotion, allowing me to live out a dream of playing at Wembley and getting promoted, similar to when I sat in the stands at Wembley and watched the team of 2019 get promoted. It’s been a special journey filled with many ups and downs, but I’ll forever be grateful. I wish you all the very best.”
