Karl Robinson says he sees similarities between Charlton hat-trick hero Tariqe Fosu and Everton starlet Ademola Lookman.
Fosu netted his first career treble in the 3-1 win over Fleetwood to move the Addicks up to 5th in League One.
And Robinson, who signed Fosu from Reading in the summer, has likened the winger to former Charlton star Lookman.
Lookman, 19, left the Valley for Everton in a £11m deal in January. The England Under-21 forward came through the Addicks’ academy.
Robinson said: “We knew we were getting a good player in Tariqe.
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“I’m not saying he’s like Ademola Lookman, but he plays like him.
“He plays off both feet and in different positions. It’s pleasing for us that he can fill in all those areas.”
Fosu has started the season on fire and is Charlton’s top scorer with five goals.
Robinson admitted the 21-year-old was meant to be used as a squad player. But injuries to Mark Marshall and Ben Reeves fast-tracked him to the starting eleven.
And he has seized his chance.
Tariqe Fosu | Picture: Benjamin Peters Photography
Robinson added: “He was brought in here to be a squad player with the quality of Mark Marshall, Ben Reeves, Billy Clarke and Ricky Holmes. We knew we had a lot of top players at the football club.
“We knew it was going to be hard for Tariqe to find that way in. But through big injuries to some big players, he got his chance sooner rather than later and he exploited it.
“The worry was that we couldn't sub him so fatigue was starting to set in.
“Our team has to play with energy otherwise we’re just like the rest. He lost that and today he got it back, he’s worked so hard in training. He’s a great kid as well.”
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