Doubts increase that Sheffield Wednesday loanee will finish season at Hillsborough

Three Charlton Athletic players have pulled out of completing the season – and the final weeks of their contracts – due to concerns injury could impact their immediate football future.

Owls boss Garry Monk reiterated this week that he had not heard similar concerns from any of his players, five of whom are facing the end of their contracts at the end of this month.

The situation surrounding loanees is less clear. A tweak in FIFA rules allows loan contracts to be extended in order for players to complete the season with their current club – but only with the agreeance of all three parties – current club, parent club and player.

Reports in Germany suggest one player – Hamburg-owned defender David Bates – will remain surplus to requirements at Hillsborough and will not have his stay extended.

Bates, a Scottish international who arrived on deadline day in the summer, has been frozen out by Monk and is understood to have been training with the club’s under-23 side for much of the season.

He has played only one first-team game this season, under Lee Bullen in an EFL Cup win at Rotherham back in August.

Asked about the process with their five loan players – Jacob Murphy, Connor Wickham, Alessio Da Cruz and Josh Windass are also on temporary deals – Monk said clarity would be sought this week on whether their parent clubs would allow them to stay.

“At this moment in time we’re trying to speak to clubs and seeing if that’s even possible at this moment,” he said. “More so now in terms of the speed of it with the announcement [of a June 20 return date] - so that’s something that’s happening over yesterday and today, and hopefully we have some news on that in the next 48 hours.

“That’s something that will need to happen to help us.”

When last asked about Bates earlier this year he said: “You have to make these decisions. Some players are involved and some players are in and out of squads. These are the decisions that I have to make.”

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Thank you, Alex.