Mandela Egbo Has No Regrets Quitting Crystal Palace To Join Charlton Athletic

Charlton Athletic’s new recruit Mandela Egbo claims he has no regrets about his decision to quit Crystal Palace, adding that the life experiences he went on to gain were invaluable.

The right-back signed for the Addicks on Tuesday on a two-year deal, with the League One club holding an option for an extra 12 months.

Egbo turned down a professional deal with the Eagles a month before his 18th birthday to sign for Borussia Monchengladbach.

The defender, part of the England squad which won the European U17 Championship in 2014, made one senior appearance for the German club. He then joined Darmstadt, in the second tier in the Bundesliga, before a spell with New York Red Bulls in the MLS.

“When I was young I decided I wanted to go a bit of a different route – and that was at a time when not many lads were doing that,” Egbo told the South London Press.

“It’s time for me now to come home and build a career in England.

“People can say if I had done this [stayed at Palace] I could’ve gone on and played in the Premier League at such a young age – there are a few players that did that, but there are many more who dropped out of the game, especially in my age group.

“Nobody is saying I would have had 150 Premier League appearances now anyway. Hindsight makes it easier to say you could have done this or that.

“I’ve played games in different countries and different levels. For a 24-year-old kid I’m kind of more experienced than my years anyway.

Egbo has played under new Charlton boss Ben Garner during his time in Palace’s academy and also at Swindon, signing a short-term deal in March after his return from America. He played the final 11 matches as Town lost in the League Two play-offs to Port Vale.