CHRIS Powell has spoken of his desire to keep former Arsenal defender Cedric Evina at The Valley.

The 21-year-old joined the Addicks from Oldham in 2011 but has found first team opportunities limited in SE7 during his two-year spell at the club.

Evina became a free agent last week but still played in Saturday’s 5-0 win at Welling.

However, he was a no-show at the airport for this week’s training camp in Spain and is currently training with the U21 squad at Sparrows Lane.

Evina had been offered a12-month deal by Charlton, an option he initially declined last week, prompting the player’s agent to claim his client would more than likely be heading elsewhere.

However, Powell isn’t giving up on Evina yet and is hopeful a compromise can be agreed which will see the defender remain at The Valley.

The Charlton manager told cafc.co.uk: “It’s an issue that has been ongoing for a long time and should have been something that was resolved as soon as the season ended.

“We got very close last week and right at the last minute they changed it again.

“Ceddy is well within his rights to turn it down and his Dubai-based agent has advised him not to sign.

“There has been a lot of toing and froing but Ceddy has come back this summer and trained really well.

“His testing has been good and he played at Welling.”

Powell added: “I’ve told him how much I want him to stay. He’s had two years here and he’s a young man who has got the ingredients to be a good left-back.

“He’s starting to show that. He hasn’t really had a career yet and I want him to have that here.

“I work with him every day, along with my coaching staff and my players, and he’s a character that fits in really well with us.”

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