Charlton Athletic manager Lee Bowyer has revealed that right back Anfernee Dijksteel is not for sale, amid reports linking the 22-year-old with a move to Middlesbrough.

It was reported last week by Football Insider that 'Boro had seen a bid for Dijksteel rejected by Charlton, and it appears that the Addicks have no intention of losing the defender in the current transfer window, while confirming the interest in the player.

Speaking to NewShopper, Bowyer confirmed that Dijksteel was 'not for sale', before revealing: “I think the owner realises he's an asset [and] fair play to him.

“For someone that wants to sell the club, he's then rejecting an offer for someone and he realises that, for the football club, the right thing to do is to keep Anfernee because he's an asset."

Dijksteel joined Charlton in January 2016, and has gone onto make 58 appearances in all competitions for the Addicks, scoring once and helping them to promotion back to the Championship via the League One play-offs last season.

It is thought that Dijksteel is entering the final 12 months of his contract at Charlton, meaning that the Addicks face losing him for nothing this time next year if they are unable to convince him to sign a new deal at The Valley before then.

The Verdict

I think this is probably the right move from Charlton.

Having impressed so much last season, you feel Dijksteel could have a big part to play if the Addicks are to survive in the Championship next season, and staying in the division is likely to give them the best chance of securing a new long term deal for the 22-year-old.

That Charlton are taking such a strong stance is likely to go down well with the club's fans, given it shows both the confidence and intent they have in keeping one of their key players ahead of their return to the second tier in less than a week's time.

This will however be a frustrating situation for Middlesbrough, with the club badly short on numbers in defence in particular ahead of their own return to action at the weekend, further increasing the challenge they face to replicate their push for a place in the play-offs from last year.