Corey Blackett-Taylor is wanted by several Championship clubs with Charlton braced for approaches this summer.
The left wing-back, 24, is in demand after joining Charlton last summer from Tranmere. He has since gone on to play 33 games in all competitions and has chipped in with three goals and four assists. His contract is up in two years as Charlton have him for another season, plus a 12-month option.
The former Aston Villa trainee made his first team debut under Steve Bruce in March 2017 as a sub in the Championship before playing once the following season. A loan to Walsall in 2019 followed before he spent the two years at Tranmere in League One and League Two.
Now he is in demand after impressing in South London where the Addicks' boss Johnnie Jackson rates the attacking defender. Blackett-Taylor was on the scoresheet as Charlton beat Cambridge United 2-0 away on Tuesday night. Jackson assessed the player’s development. He said: “Corey has gone from an impact bench player that has no history of really playing beyond an hour, or certainly no history of 90 minutes, and he’s looking strong.
“In the last weeks and months he’s been outstanding. His game has really improved. He’s growing into that wing-back position now, he’s finding much better positions to receive the ball and defensively he’s putting a shift in. He’s finding ways to get on the ball much better now than when he first started playing there, so that’s credit to him and the work that he’s done with my staff to improve that side of his game.
“And then he’s obviously got that unbelievably raw pace and the ability to go both ways that’s obviously a menace against anyone that you’re playing against.” Charlton took a punt on Blackett-Taylor last summer after he parted company with Tranmere Rovers. Blackett-Taylor bided his time as a free agent for a couple of months before the Addicks handed him a deal.
The London club only tied him down on a short-term contract but extended that after he impressed. The former Aston Villa man is now becoming one of Charlton Athletic’s most prized assets. He and Charlton are back in action this Saturday when Shrewsbury visit in the club’s final home game after Town beat the Addicks 1-0 in November with a last minute winner.
Jackson added: “Looking back at the game at their place, we were disappointed to lose it. We certainly felt we were in the ascendency and should have won or at least got a draw, but had that late sucker punch which was tough to take, so we want to put that right.
“It’ll be a tough game against a team in decent form. They’ve got some good players who carry threats across the pitch, so we’ll need to be at it and get right up against them.”
