CAFC Soccer Ivory Coast

One of the most exciting of Charlton's overseas partnerships, the collaboration with ASEC Mimosas sees the Addicks linked to the most successful team in the Ivory Coast and one of the most prolific producers of playing talent in the world.

Products of ASEC's youth academy form the backbone of the national team, which qualified for the 2006 World Cup, and include the likes of Kolo Toure and Emmanuel Eboue (Arsenal), Salomon Kalou (Chelsea), Didier Zokora (Tottenham Hotspur) and Bonaventure Kalou (Paris St Germain).

The agreement between the Ivorians and the Addicks under the CAFC Soccer Ivory Coast set-up will see Charlton receive numerous benefits at youth level.

Charlton chief executive Peter Varney said: "You just have to look at the players who have come out of their youth system to see the potential.

"They have some very exciting players working under a French coach, Pascal Théault, who was involved with the national side and runs the whole academy down there.

"Despite the fact the Ivory Coast is very much a war-torn country, they are still producing players of the highest quality, and under our deal we have the chance to keep a close eye on their very best with a view to helping to develop them and ultimately bring them to England.”

The deal with ASEC dovetails neatly with Charlton's CAFC Soccer Belgium set-up in particular, with clubs such as Germinal Beerschot Antwerpen offering the opportunity for players to gain experience in European football and work permits.

Explained Peter: "We make an annual payment to sponsor the ASEC academy so we get first call on their players, and we need to increasingly work to make sure they are placed with other clubs.

"If they can go to Beerschot that's fine and under the terms of our deal they get first call, but if Beerschot can't find a spot in their squad at that time, then we can place them elsewhere as well.”

At the end of the 2006/07 season, one former ASEC player, Soro Bakary, had been placed at Beerschot, while two more, Ismael Beko Fofana and Konan Serge Kouadio, were playing for Norwegian side Fredrikstad. In addition, the club had agreed to place further players at French club Nancy.

Added Varney: "We retain the rights over the players, but we are looking to see them developed with other clubs where they have the ability to attain a work permit.

"The Norway link is proving successful and some boys have also gone to Nancy, which is particularly good because Ivory Coast is a French-speaking nation so it helps them to settle in.”

Also known as ASEC Abidjan, the club has won the Ivory Coast league for the last seven consecutive years and, incredibly, 15 times since 1990.

In July 2006 two ASEC Mimosas youngsters travelled to England to train and play at the club under former coach Iain Dowie as part of the initial stage of the link-up, and several months later a youth team played against Millwall and Charlton's youth sides in a brief tour arranged by the Addicks.