Stockport County must capitalise on Charlton Athletic decision this January | OneFootball

Stockport County are on the hunt for attacking talent, and a familiar name at Charlton Athletic is raising questions

Stockport County are on the hunt for a striker and must capitalise on Charlton Athletic’s decision to sign Lyndon Dykes.

Last summer, following promotion from League One, the Addicks moved to sign County striker Tanto Olaofe in a deal journalist Alan Nixon reported as being worth up to £1.5m.

Since then, the pacey forward has struggled for Championship game time, and the signing of Dykes from Birmingham City only looks set to make that situation more difficult.

Reports earlier this month suggested that Olaofe was just one of a few potential targets the Hatters were looking at this January, but with Dykes arrival, Dave Challinor’s side may never have a better time to strike.

Tanto Olaofe has been struggling for game time at Charlton

Since making the switch to the Valley in the summer, Olaofe has been restricted to just six Championship starts, with another 16 cameos off the bench.

In that time, he’s managed just one goal and one assist, with it being understandably hard to pick up any rhythm in those circumstances.

Preferred to the London-born striker for much of the campaign has been Charlie Kelman and Miles Leaburn, with the experienced Matty Godden also available for selection.

It has left Olaofe feeding off scraps and, with Capology estimating the former Stockport man is bringing in £8,000 per week, neither party will feel they’ve taken full value from the transfer up to this point.

That is where Olaofe’s former employers, Stockport, could come in.

According to local journalist Sam Byrne, County are looking at a number of forward targets in this January market, with a second bid for St Johnstone striker Adama Sidibeh reportedly turned down.

As a fan favourite at Edgeley Park, Olaofe’s struggles with Charlton have not gone unnoticed, with many raising the question about a potential return.

Kyle Wootton has been fantastic for County so far this season, but has had to do much of the heavy lifting in terms of goalscoring and, as a target man, is not ideal to stretch defences when a different approach is needed.

That’s precisely why he and Olaofe worked so well together at Edgeley Park, with one of the duo’s strengths making up for the other’s weaknesses.

Byrne confirmed that Olaofe is one of the names under consideration by the Hatters, but that nothing has progressed as of last week.

There has, however, been a significant plot twist.

Lyndon Dykes leaves Tanto Olaofe needing a route out of Charlton Athletic

Rather than the Addicks moving to carve out more opportunities for Olaofe, things have actually moved in the other direction.

They have signed Scotland international striker Dykes on a permanent deal from Birmingham until the end of the season, giving Olaofe yet another quality striker to battle with for minutes.

Since that signing, Olaofe has been omitted entirely from the Addicks’ last two league games, against Sheffield United and Derby County.

Nathan Jones has insisted that he wouldn’t let Olaofe leave as recently as last week, but the situation as it currently stands does not look sustainable from the outside.

If, for whatever reason, the former Stockport man can no longer even get in the matchday squad, then a short-term loan surely makes sense for both parties.

It would reduce Charlton’s wage burden a little for a player they aren’t getting the full use of, and for County, they’d get a striker they already know everything about, give Challinor a different option going forward, and, should they still want to, then go after a target like Sidibeh in the calmer, and often less expensive, summer transfer market.