'It's an excellent loan' - Charlton Athletic striker Gassan Ahadme makes Cambridge United return

Out-of-favour striker reunited with Neil Harris at League One new boys

Charlton striker Gassan Ahadme has signed on a season-long loan for Cambridge United.

The 25-year-old striker, who still has an Addicks deal that runs until the summer of 2028, had an injury-disrupted loan at Stevenage in the 2025-26 campaign.

Gassan Ahadme/Picture: Kyle Andrews

It was Ahadme’s performances for Cambridge United during a temporary move from Ipswich Town which helped spark Charlton’s interest in adding him to their squad in the summer of 2024.

Ahadme scored 13 goals in 33 matches for the U’s - two of those coming late in a 2-2 draw at The Valley in December 2023.

Charlton paid an undisclosed fee for Ahadme with Nathan Jones describing the player, 23 at the time, as “a real number one target for us”.

Now the frontman, whose last goals for the south Londoners was a brace in a 4-0 FA Cup win at Walsall in November 2024, is heading back to Cambridge and working once again with Neil Harris.

Harris returned to United as head coach in February 2025, two months after opting to step down as Millwall boss.

Cambridge won automatic promotion from League Two last season.

Ahadme has scored four goals in 23 appearances for Charlton but did not make a competitive appearance in the previous campaign before joining Stevenage. He featured in a 3-0 friendly win at Southend United at the start of August, netting twice in the second half after replacing Charlie Kelman at the break.

The best scenario for the Addicks is that Harris manages to get the former Morocco U21 international back in the goal groove. Charlton would then find it easier to move him off their books.

Ahadme scored on his Stevenage debut, a 2-0 victory over Northampton in August, but played just 480 minutes of League One football.

He also netted three times in the EFL Trophy but did not play again after the end of November.

Jones told Charlton Athletic’s official website: “It’s an excellent loan for Gassan.

“He’s going to work with someone who he’s done very well for before and someone that I know will get the best out of him. Neil Harris is excellent at coaching strikers, so we’re really pleased that we’ve managed to secure that because we haven’t seen the best of Gassan yet

“He needs to get that fluency, that game time and that rhythm and I really do think he’ll get that at Cambridge. We wish him all the best and we’ll monitor him closely.”

Gassan Ahadme celebrates scoring for Cambridge against Charlton/Picture: Kyle Andrews

Ahadme, speaking to Cambridge’s official website, said: “I am really happy to be back. I have good memories of the season I had here, but I am trying to hit new levels and I am expecting a lot of myself.

“I want to hit the ground running and show what I am capable of. I am looking forward to what’s to come.”

Harris added: Neil Harris added: “I am hugely excited to work with Gassan Ahadme this season. It’s a vital signing for the football club. Gassan is the exact profile of a number nine that I like to work with, and we know he has the strengths and attributes to support our attacking unit.

“We have real versatility and reliability at the top end of the pitch now, which is crucial in what will be an important season where we are going to need to score vital goals at vital moments.

“Gassan is a wonderful professional. During my first spell in charge at the club, I really enjoyed working with him both on and off the training pitch. I look forward to helping him develop his game further this season, and I can’t wait to see him scoring goals in a Cambridge shirt again.”

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