Charlton Athletic manager Lee Bowyer has admitted that interest in Lyle Taylor during the summer created a difficult situation for the Addicks striker.

Fellow Championship side Brentford were linked with a move for the striker during the transfer window, and Bowyer has suggested that that is something that may have turned the head of Taylor, who scored 22 league goals as Charlton were promoted to the Championship last season.

Discussing that interest in Taylor with TalkSport, Bowyer revealed: “It was a difficult situation for the lad. He’s 29 years old and had a side come in for him who offered him a lot of money in the summer.

“I’m guessing he hasn’t earned that top bracket money in his career as he’s been around the lower leagues.

"So when that opportunity presents itself of course you’re going to be interested, it’s about securing your family’s future."

Discussing Taylor's response to that apparent opportunity, however, Bowyer was full of praise for Taylor, as he added: “As soon as that window closed though he remained professional and was every bit as good, if not better, than last season.

“Lyle’s attitude has been spot on – he’s been exceptional for this football club. When he first came to the club he needed to get fitter, yeah he could score goals as he’s done that throughout his career."

While he may not have got his move this summer, Bowyer still expects big things from Taylor in his career, as the Charlton boss claimed: “If you can score goals, can hold the ball up, create chances for your team-mates and you have a great work ethic then you have all the ingredients to be a top striker."

“If we’d have lost him it would have been a lot more difficult for us to stay in the league. It was crucial we did keep hold of him. I wouldn’t have blamed him if he did go."

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Taylor's contract with Charlton is set to expire at the end of the current campaign, and it seems that that is something that Bowyer is keen for the club to address quickly, as he added: “We’ve got try and nail down a new contract for Lyle. That’s something that is in the owner’s powers and hopefully he puts a good enough offer in front of him and his agent to sign on again.”

Since making the step up to the Championship, Taylor has scored five times in his six league appearances to help his side to an unbeaten start to the campaign that sees them second in the division after six games of the season.

The striker will be looking to continue that impressive start to life in the second tier when the Addicks return to action after the international break with the visit of Birmingham to The Valley on Saturday afternoon.

The Verdict

This will surely be a welcome sight for Charlton fans.

Given the impact that Taylor has had both last season and at the start of this one, keeping hold of the striker looks to have been a huge boost for the Addicks.

The fact that both the player and club appear to have held firm against that interest to keep Taylor at The Valley should also be a big source of encouragement when it comes to the negotiations of transfers in the future.

You imagine there will be plenty around the club now hoping to see a similar sort of determination when it comes to securing a new deal for Taylor at the club.