Lyndon Dykes brought an end to weeks of speculation surrounding his future when he left Birmingham City last week, with Leicester City among the clubs said to have shown an interest before missing out.
The Scotland international has now joined Charlton Athletic on a permanent deal running until the end of the season, as the Addicks battle to pull clear of relegation trouble. Dykes becomes Charlton’s second signing of the window following Harry Clarke, and he wasted little time making an impression.
Introduced at half time against Sheffield United on Saturday, the 30 year old played a key role in the winning goal by flicking the ball on for Sonny Carey to score against the Blades.
Before the move was confirmed, the Daily Mail claimed Leicester were considering a deal for Dykes, which would have reunited him with Marti Cifuentes after their time together at QPR. However, with Dykes opting for Charlton, the Foxes are now expected to turn their attention elsewhere.
Reaction from Leicester supporters has suggested there is little disappointment at missing out. Football League World’s Leicester fan pundit Louchlainn Martin admitted he was relieved the club did not pursue the deal.
He said many supporters were happy to see Dykes end up at The Valley, adding that while there may have been some truth in the rumours due to his previous relationship with Cifuentes, his recent record in front of goal raised concerns. With Leicester in need of reliable scorers, Martin felt Dykes had not shown enough over the past couple of seasons to justify the move, and that fans were frustrated by the links from the outset.
Dykes’ goalscoring numbers in the Championship back up that caution. Now in his sixth season at this level, he has not reached double figures since his first campaign in the division. He scored just twice in 21 appearances for Birmingham this term, and managed only one league goal during their promotion season in League One.
Charlton may not have signed him solely for goals, and his physical presence and experience could still prove useful in their fight for survival. For Leicester, though, passing on the deal may ultimately work in their favour as they continue their search for a forward who can deliver consistently and help them climb the table in the second half of the season.