Charlton Athletic will be looking for solutions on how to fill the void left by Conor Gallagher, after it was confirmed that he has been recalled from his loan by Chelsea.

The 19-year-old had become an integral part of the team, making 25 starts and one substitute appearance in the Championship.

Lee Bowyer’s comment after the departure gives an indication of the impact he had: “He’s come in and put his body on the line every single day. He’s scored us goals and helped us win games. For someone so young, he’s a great talent to work with and I wish him all the best for his future.”

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The club has made strides towards securing the signing of Peterborough United’s Marcus Maddison, with BBC Sport reporting that they had a bid accepted by the League One side.

There are certainly bonuses to having Maddison over Gallagher – which play into the 26-year-old being an exciting acquisition – such as his number of goal contributions this campaign.

Maddison has managed nine goals and six assists this season, while Gallagher has six and two to his name.

It is not just the number of strikes he gets from midfield that is eye-catching, but also the way that he gets them, with examples being his long-range effort against MK Dons that cannoned in off the post, as well as a superb free-kick against Sunderland.

While it is exciting for the Addicks, this move does not directly fill the void left by Gallagher, as shown by the statistics below.

Maddison’s statistics in the attacking phase are highly impressive, as he records over double the number of key passes averaged by Gallagher, while also managing 1.3 dribbles per game.

This will be especially useful when it is considered that the Addicks have attacking players such as Lyle Taylor and Macauley Bonne out injured.

However, it is the other side of the game in which he will be unable to match Gallagher, something that Bowyer will need to address.

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The Peterborough man makes 1.5 fewer tackles and 0.4 less interceptions per game than the teenager, indicating that with him departing the Valley, they will need to find someone who can cover defensively in midfield.

That is especially important when it is considered that Charlton haven’t kept a clean sheet in the Championship since October 2019.

In addition, Maddison carries more reward with his passing, as indicated by the number of key passes made, but there is a greater risk, as his completion rate is 23.1% lower.

Through his performances in League One, Maddison has shown that he is someone worth signing for Charlton and a move for him will be an exciting one, but they still need to find a way of filling the void left by Gallagher.

Meanwhile, Charlton fans have shown their appreciation for a key figure at the club.