BY MUNYARADZI MADZOKERE
IT seems inevitable that England-born Warriors and Charlton Athletic striker Macauley Bonne will play in the English Premier League one day and judging by his progress over the last couple of seasons it may be very soon.
Last year the 24-year-old London-born Zimbabwe international striker, who had scored 49 goals in 101 appearances for Leyton Orient in the National League, attracted the interest of top clubs such as Leicester and Sheffield United but ended up at Charlton Athletic in the Championship.
For a striker, who was playing in the National League a little over a year ago, Bonne looked the part in his debut season in the Championship for relegated Charlton Athletic.
Despite the failure by the Addicks to avoid relegation, Bonne, who started the season as only the fourth striker for the club, finished as the top scorer.
The 24-year-old forward netted 11 times to eclipse veteran striker Lyle Taylor, who was stranded at 10 goals after refusing to play when the season resumed after the Covid-19 forced break.
Bonne’s efforts may have ensured that he will not sink to League One with Charlton Athletic next season with reports suggesting that four Championship clubs and Premier League side Burnley are chasing his signature.
Other clubs reported to be chasing the Zimbabwean striker include Norwich City, who were recently relegated from the Premier League, Fulham who may seal promotion into the top tier competition this Tuesday in the playoff final, Cardiff City who made the promotion playoffs and Derby County.
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All the Championship clubs that are rumoured to be after Bonne appear to be strong prospects for the Premier League in the near future.
Bonne had been widely tipped by the British media to duplicate Leicester City striker and premier league golden boot winner Jamie Vardy who rose from non-league football into the English topflight.
Bournemouth striker Callum Wilson achieved the same feat.
It is well and truly Bonne’s dream to play premier league football.
“The ambition for every kid is to play at the highest level one day, whether that’s with Charlton or another club. That’s my goal. If I’m given the chance, like I have been here, then I believe I’ll take it,” Bonne was quoted in the British media a couple of months back.
“I sit in the bath and watch Youtube videos of Vardy and Callum Wilson. They have gone from non-league to the highest level and it fuels me to say, ‘Why can’t it be me?
“I want to write a story like Vardy, I’m on my own journey and I don’t want to waste time,” he added.
Judging by his performance at Charlton in the past 12-months, Bonne may be thinking about jumping on any offer from premier league clubs having already proved his mettle in the championship.
The former Colchester, Lincoln and Woking striker made 33 appearances for Charlton Athletic and finished the season with 11 goals and two assists.
And by his own admission he has been studying premier league strikers a lot of late especially after his club 6-0 drubbing against Arsenal in a friendly match in June.
“I watched Arsenal’s strikers and I saw why they are a level above. The one thing I really noticed from (Pierre-Emerick) Aubameyang and (Alexandre) Lacazette is they don’t waste any energy. They have an on and off switch,” he said.
“They can walk around watching the ball for two minutes but when it comes to them, ‘It’s bang, 100-miles an hour and the ball is in the back of the net’.
“I’ve been known to waste energy. I might run around like a headless chicken but I’m trying to make sure I’m working hard. Now I’ve realised it’s something I don’t always have to do. After watching them, I need to learn and save as much energy as I’ve got,” Bonne added.
Interestingly, Jamie Vardy cost Leicester one million pounds in 2012 and Charlton Athletic have also placed a one million pounds price tag on Bonne.
It is this transfer window that will have a strong bearing on Bonne’s future, but one way or the other fate seems to point the premier league direction.
