JibrinLyndon Dykes has already navigated quite a remarkable recent chapter in his career – one which saw him wrap up his latest transfer move to Charlton Athletic during the winter window.
With the Addicks struggling to fire consistently in front of goal following their return to the Championship, Nathan Jones turned to the rugged and physical striker as the answer to those attacking woes, and so far, Dykes has unquestionably left his footprint at The Valley.
This follows immediately after the Scotland international’s fascinating 18-month chapter at Birmingham City following his move to St. Andrew’s @ Knighthead Park from Queens Park Rangers for a reported £1m fee in August 2024, in what was Chris Davies’ first transfer window in charge of the club.
It has been well-documented that Birmingham cruised to the League One title with a dominant 19-point gap last term after accumulating 111 points, whilst also participating in an exhausting 60 matches across all competitions due to their deep runs in the EFL Cup, FA Cup and EFL Trophy.
However, it’s safe to say that Dykes found it immensely tough to force his way past the duo of Jay Stansfield and Alfie May in the pecking order, before confronting the same challenge earlier in this Championship campaign after Blues moved to acquire both Kyogo Furuhashi and Marvin Ducksch.
Although the 30-year-old achieved ‘cult hero’ recognition in the West Midlands for a series of vital late goals, a scarcity of playing time prompted his departure to SE7, where he has delivered a forceful early impression in a bid to secure inclusion in Steve Clarke’s Scotland squad for the upcoming FIFA World Cup.
However, with his current contract at Charlton only valid until June 30th, it remains to be seen what the long-term horizon holds for the seasoned forward.
As a result, two of the club’s divisional adversaries are seeking to exploit such instability.
“Leicester City facing fresh Millwall transfer battle for Charlton Athletic’s Lyndon Dykes”
During the final phase of his time with Birmingham, it was extensively reported that Leicester City were eager to negotiate a deal to bring Dykes to the King Power Stadium, although the Foxes were unable to achieve those specific ambitions.
The forward, who boasts 188 appearances and 39 goals at Championship level to date, was also the target of a loan approach from promotion-chasing Ipswich Town in January, as the Tractor Boys aimed to bolster their attacking options beyond the likes of George Hirst, Ivan Azon and Chuba Akpom.
Since his arrival at Charlton, Dykes has found the net twice – with one of those goals coming ironically against the East Midlands side on January 31st – and has laid on three assists, with the London outfit currently sitting nine points clear of Leicester in 22nd position with just 10 matches of the season remaining.
Nevertheless, while there has been no indication that a extended deal has been presented to the striker by his present club, the Daily Mail have revealed that Leicester could encounter competition from Millwall for his signature as a free agent in the summer window.
The Millwall Factor: A Move That Would Turn Stomachs at The Valley
The Lions are currently mounting a strong charge for promotion to the Premier League, having suffered merely two defeats in their last 14 league outings. It has been suggested that their divisional standing will be the primary determinant in whether they pursue Dykes in the summer.
Meanwhile, Leicester’s financial limitations and the potential reality of relegation to League One may also influence whether they can secure the services of the 48-cap international.
“Charlton Athletic supporters wouldn’t like to see Lyndon Dykes in a Millwall shirt”
It goes without saying that the prospect of Dykes lining up for the Lions represents a gut-wrenching scenario for the Charlton faithful. The very idea of their current attacking spearhead crossing the south London divide to join the enemy is enough to turn stomachs in SE7.
The visceral hatred between these two sets of supporters has been on full display this campaign for the first time in years, although it has been the Lions who came out on top in both encounters, grinding out a 1-1 draw at The Valley before administering a humiliating 4-0 thrashing on their own turf in January.
For the Charlton supporters who have watched Dykes quickly establish himself as a key figure, witnessing him pull on the blue of Millwall would be the ultimate betrayal. It is the kind of switch that etches a player into club folklore for all the wrong reasons.
Alex Neil will undoubtedly be well aware of Dykes’ qualities given his persistent impact at Championship level and on the international stage for Scotland.
As such, the coming months are shaping up to deliver a genuinely fascinating transfer tug-of-war—one that leaves the fate of a powerful striker dangling between a Leicester rescue mission and a move that would make his own fans violently ill.
Jibrin
