Reported Nottingham Forest target Lyle Taylor is set for “a life-changing move” this summer - and has ruled himself out of Charlton Athletic’s remaining games as a result.
The Reds were one of a number of clubs linked with the striker in January, along with Championship rivals Brentford and Bristol City.
Taylor is out of contract this summer and looks set to head elsewhere after notching 11 goals in 22 appearances for the Addicks this term.
But manager Lee Bowyer says he will not feature in the team’s remaining nine games when the Championship restarts, as the forward is worried about picking up an injury.
“He’s going to get a life-changing move,” the Charlton boss told talkSPORT.
"I was saying a few months ago when this first happened - when we were talking about the contract problem - that this could be a problem because I know how well Lyle’s done for us.
“If it wasn’t for Lyle we wouldn’t even be in this division.
"He was outstanding last season, he had a great start this season, he’s chosen now not to come back and play to the end.”
The second tier season is due to get back underway on June 20 and Athletic sit in the relegation zone, two points adrift of safety.
A number of players throughout the division are currently set to see their contracts expire at the end of this month.
And Bowyer says Taylor is not the only member of his squad who does not want to play the final games.
“We have 15 out of contract - we’ve got six loans and nine of our own contracted players out (of contract); they finish at the end of June,” he said.
“Unfortunately for us, three of those players have said that they’re not going to play.
“Lyle is one of them.
“And that’s tough for us. That’s tough for me as the manager. Lyle is a big player for us - a bit like (Troy) Deeney at Watford; a similar situation. When he plays, we win games.
“Lyle has said that he’s not going to play because of (the) risk of injury. Chris Solly, the same.
“And we’ve got (David) Davis who is on loan from Birmingham and says he doesn’t want to come back and play games.
“So we’re three players down.
“It’s just another hurdle, but we’ve got another 22 or 23 players that do want to play. That’s the most important thing to me now.
“As a football club, we’ll move on without those players and fight to the end.”
Asked if he thought he was asking too much of Taylor, Bowyer said: “I don’t think I’m asking too much, no. He’s a Charlton player and he’s done great for us for two years, so in my eyes, you finish what you started.
"Everyone’s got their own decisions to make. I can’t force them.
“I’ve spoken to Lyle about it, he’s in such a difficult position. I speak to him on the phone and he wants to play, but he’s so worried about getting injured that he’s saying, ‘I wouldn’t be the same player for you’.
“And it’s just difficult because he’s so big for us.”
