Charlton's first signing of the summer began his career as an eight year old in the Academy of his home town club - Ipswich - but, after a short spell in Norwich's Academy, he joined Colchester as a fourteen year old.
He made his first team debut for Colchester in League One as an eighteen year old in 2013 and went on to make fifteen appearances. He played a further ten times the following season but it was in 2015/16 that he made his breakthrough, appearing 37 times and scoring 9 goals. In a first round FA Cup tie at Wealdstone in November 2015 he scored four of the goals in Colchester's 6-2 win, thus becoming the first Colchester player to notch four in a game since Chris Iwelumo in 2006.
He was a late substitute in the notorious third round tie in January 2016 when Karel Fraeye's Charlton were beaten 2-1 by a Colchester side who had lost their previous ten games. Charlton fans will no doubt remember the applause ringing round the stadium in the 82nd minute when he came on to replace goal scorer Marvin Sordell.
The following year, with Colchester relegated to League 2, he played a further 22 games before spending the second half of the season on loan in The National League at Lincoln and Woking. His career did seem to be going downhill.
He joined Leyton Orient on a two year contract in the summer of 2017 as they started their National League campaign and scored his first goal for them in their 1-6 defeat at Bromley. Things could only get better and in his two seasons at Brisbane Road he made 109 appearances and scored 49 goals and played a crucial part in Orient regaining their EFL status.
Lee Bowyer said of Bonne: "For me we need to bring people in that score goals and Macauley is definitely one of them. In the last two seasons he’s scored over 20 goals. Okay, yeah, it’s been in a lower league, but you know he can finish. He works hard and his attitude is spot on. He’s young and he’s definitely going to be one for the future."
"His work rate, the crowd will love how hard he works. His attitude and that he plays for the team, so every time that he steps onto the pitch, I know that he’ll give 100% and the other side of the game (goalscoring) has just come naturally for him."
"Steve Gallen has been looking at him for two years, so it’s been something that we’ve been keeping an eye on and now it’s the right time for him to come to us.”
Bonne is a full international. He was born in England of Zimbabwean parents and made his debut for Zimbabwe in November 2017 v Lesotho. The last Zimbabwean player to make the jump from non-league to Championship with Charlton was Bradley Pritchard so there is no reason to fear that Bonne won't be able to adapt to the higher level, especially with the coaching he will get at Sparrows Lane.
And finally, The Shields Gazette reported at the end of May that Sunderland were very keen to sign him. The last striker we signed from under the nose of Sunderland didn't turn out too badly, did he?