Charlton Athletic are sitting in a decent position at the moment in Sky Bet League One with them just four points off of the top of the table.

Of course, it is highly congested up there but they have games in hand and will feel as though they could perhaps be even higher after recent dropped points against the likes of Swindon and Shrewsbury.

In January, then, Lee Bowyer might well want to look at his defensive options and strengthen if he can as they bid to win promotion.

On paper, Charlton actually have a decent rostrum of defensive talent. Jason Pearce, Ryan Inniss, Akin Famewo and Deji Oshilaja are all strong centre-backs but all have suffered with injuries this season, leading us to see the likes of Darren Pratley, Chris Gunter and Ben Purrington having to fill in.

Indeed, Inniss and Famewo are still stricken and, with the latter only on loan at the moment, there may well be thought from Bowyer to add another centre-half in January.

The answer, then, could lie down the road at Gillingham in the shape of Jack Tucker.

A Kent-born footballer, Tucker has been on the books of the Gills from his days as a kid and has become a key man for them of late.

He's made 16 league appearances this year and is in the top 10 for League One defenders this season in clearances per game (2nd,) blocks per game (4th) and interceptions per game (4th,) all at the age of 21.

Standing at 1.92m, he's also won aerials 3.1 times per game so it's clear he's good in the air too - though the likes of Jason Pearce and Ryan Inniss do top him here.

Nevertheless, the Gills have evidently got a very decent defender on their hands at the moment and he's beginning to really flourish at this level.

If Lee Bowyer feels he needs another defender, then, he might well benefit from looking to Priestfield.