Celtic, Rangers and Nottingham Forest have all held talks with Lyle Taylor with the former Charlton Athletic striker now a free agent, according to The Sun (12 July, page 61) and the Daily Record.
Addicks fans everywhere must have worried that their survival hopes had gone up in smoke when a talismanic top scorer confirmed that he would not be sticking around to help Lee Bowyer and co in their battle against the drop.
And their fears, it seems, were justified.
Taylor’s contract ran out a fortnight ago and, since then, Charlton have lost three successive Championship games – failing to score in 1-0 defeats to Reading and Millwall.
So it’s fair to say the former Wimbledon striker is not exactly Mr Popular at the Valley right now.
Though, in Taylor’s defence, he might never get a better chance to join one of the biggest clubs in Britain at the age of 30.
Charlton boss Bowyer told talkSPORT a matter of weeks ago that the late-blooming striker was set to secure a ‘life-changing’ move – though it remains to be seen which club wins the race for his sought-after signature.
The Sun claims that a Nottingham Forest side who remain worryingly overrelliant on 20-goal Lewis Grabban have entered talks to sign Taylor and want him at the City Ground regardless of whether they miss out on Premier League promotion.
A move north of the border, with Celtic and Rangers speaking to his representatives, could see Taylor challenge for silverware and play European football for the very first time.
Though you’d forgive Charlton fans if they are not exactly rushing to wish Taylor ‘all the best’.
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