Emotional Lyle Taylor return could see AFC Wimbledon record-breaker depart: View | OneFootball

Josh Davison is AFC Wimbledon's record signing, costing the Dons a hefty, undisclosed fee back in the summer of 2022.

However, the former Charlton Athletic and Swindon Town striker has failed to live up to expectations at Plough Lane, scoring fairly inconsistently and not providing the service a typical number nine should for any side.

It must be of great concern then, to Davison, to see Wimbledon linked with an emotional reunion with fan favourite and former striker Lyle Taylor, as the potential arrival of the Montserrat international could spell the end of the record-breaking striker.

Lyle Taylor to AFC Wimbledon latest

There has always been a thought that Taylor would return to AFC Wimbledon in the twilight of his career ever since he left the club six years ago on a free transfer to Charlton Athletic.

The forward was a firm fan favourite at the Dons' former home of Kingsmeadow, as he netted 23 goals in the 2015/16 League Two promotion campaign and continued to score well in League One too, helping the club stave off relegation.

He has now been linked to a move back to Wimbledon following his release from Nottingham Forest, where he had failed to play a game for over two years.

The report came earlier this week from South London Press, who say Taylor is open to a return, should Wimbledon and manager Johnnie Jackson want to make a move for the 34-year-old.

There have not been any noises from an AFC Wimbledon point of view, however, but with the Dons likely to want to gear themselves up for a promotion chase next season, there should be some movement in the near future.

Josh Davison's disappointing Dons spell

The fact that Taylor is thought to be open to a move should be ringing alarm bells for Davison, as, if the former returns, it is likely that Davison would become the fifth-choice striker – something he would not have imagined being when he signed for the Dons back in 2022.

If Taylor does return, it is likely that in Jackson's preferred two-striker system, he would fall behind Omar Bugiel, Josh Kelly, new signing Matty Stevens and, obviously, Taylor.

In the same summer that Johnnie Jackson became the club's new manager after Mark Robinson, Davison joined for an undisclosed fee which broke the record for the Dons' most expensive transfer, a record which still stands two years on.

In his first season as the Dons' number nine, he would feature across all competitions for Wimbledon a total of 45 times, with 37 of those being in the league.

League Two is where he would be most prolific, scoring nine times, as well as laying on four assists. He also scored one goal in the EFL Trophy, but for a record, statement signing up front, it is fair to say that the return was slightly disappointing.

This season has been even more difficult for Davison and his Dons supporters, as he only scored four times over 36 appearances in the league this season, with his next highest number being three in the EFL Trophy.

This low output of goals has also seen Davison's starts and average minutes per game dwindle too, as in the season just gone, with the likes of Ali Al-Hamadi, Omar Bugiel, and Josh Kelly all being favoured ahead of him, he has only started 11 times and averaged 31 minutes per game, as per Sofascore.

Lyle Taylor's return may spell an end to Josh Davison at Wimbledon

If Taylor does indeed return to Wimbledon in an emotional reunion, it is almost certain that his arrival will spell an end to Davison's time at AFC Wimbledon.

Given that he is the Dons' record signing, there is a likelihood that Wimbledon will want to recoup some of the money that was shelled out for him in the first place.

As well as this, the 24-year-old will not have long left on his current deal at the club, with the club rarely awarding contracts longer than three years in length. Given that his performances in yellow and blue have not been too inspiring, it would not be totally unimaginable that Wimbledon would want to move him on.

It will, however, be a rather disappointing end to what could have been a very promising signing.

Wimbledon fans across the fanbase became rather enamoured with Davison's determination and work rate whenever he featured on the pitch at the start of his Dons career, and felt as though that, as long as he scored a consistent number of goals, he would always have their support.

However, the goals have not come, despite the relentless running around the pitch, and that has not gone down too well with Wimbledon fans, with many simply growing frustrated that such a big-money move has ended up being a poor source of goals in the team.

There will, of course, be some moments that Davison is remembered for at Plough Lane, such as the late winner against Harrogate in 2022/23, but Wimbledon fans will perhaps be happy to see the back of Davison this summer, especially if he is replaced by the return of a cult hero and crucial goalscorer.