 Varney's season however was cut short in March 2007 after breaking his toe in Crewe's 1–1 draw with Brighton & Hove Albion.Varney completed a move to Charlton Athletic for £2 million in May 2007 with a percentage of the fee going to Quorn, rising to £2.5 million depending on appearances.Charlton manager Alan Pardew commented that "Luke is an exciting young player and perfectly fits the mould of a Charlton player".