Jack Ross’s Sunderland were in talks to sign Lyle Taylor before the striker joined League One play-off rivals Charlton Athletic instead.
Lyle Taylor has admitted that the chance to return to London – and work alongside Lee Bowyer – was central to his decision to choose Charlton Athletic over Sunderland during last summer’s transfer window, speaking to London News Online.
Sky Sports claimed in July (21st, 2018) that the Grenwich-born striker was in talks over a move to Sunderland after his contract at AFC Wimbledon came to an end.
But instead of making the move north, Taylor returned to his roots by signing a deal with League One rivals Charlton Athletic.
The five-time Monserrat international has certainly shown Sunderland what they’re missing, scoring 25 goals for an Addicks side who finished two places and three points above the Black Cats in the League One table.
And Charlton have manager Bowyer to thank for Taylor coming to the conclusion that the Valley was the place to be.
“I thought for me to get to the Championship that I could go up to Sunderland, who are expected to win the league because of the size of their budget, or I could try and do something under somebody [Lee Bowyer] who I knew would back me to the hilt,” Taylor said.
“So I knew playing under Bow was the right thing to do.
“I’m already settled. I’m home. This is home for me. Then I don’t have to worry about the move, not being around my family – which for me is a big thing – and it’s the familiarity of being born in Greenwich, raised in New Cross and being 15 minutes from the doorstep of the house I was brought up in.
“Added to the fact it was Lee Bowyer as the manager. So it was kind of a concoction of things.”
There is a good chance that Taylor could meet the club he turned down in the League One play-off final at Wembley. Sunderland beat Portsmouth 1-0 in the semi-final first leg on Saturday while Charlton narrowly triumphed 2-1 at Doncaster.
Taylor, as you might expect, got himself on the score sheet with the opening goal of the tie.
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