Charlton boss Lee Bowyer has expressed his disappointment after being caught cold by Chelsea’s decision to recall midfielder Conor Gallagher from his loan.
The 19-year-old was a revelation during his time at The Valley, scoring six goals in 26 appearances, and earning four caps with the England Under-21s.
Bowyer has revealed that Gallagher’s exit has now forced him into trying to find a replacement.
Speaking to the club website, Bowyer said: “I’m disappointed. I didn’t see this coming if I’m honest, which makes it harder to take. At the end of the day, though, we have to move on.
“He’s been a credit and a pleasure to work with. He’s come in and put his body on the line every single day. He’s scored us goals and helped us win games.
“For someone so young, he’s a great talent to work with. He’s come in, learnt and he’s going back a better player than we received and that’s what our job is – to improve players.
“The most important thing now is that Conor goes on and progresses in his career, and we’ve got to move on and try and find a replacement.”
