Northampton Town have to act to source Marc Leonard replacement from Charlton Athletic: View | OneFootball

Unwanted Charlton man is the perfect fit for Northampton.

Northampton Town are still void of a like-for-like Marc Leonard replacement, despite the new League One campaign starting last weekend.

Cobblers' midfield options have been depleted this summer, including the loss of Player of the Season, Leonard.

Long-serving Shaun McWilliams also left the club and while Cameron McGeehan and Matt Dibley-Dias have been brought in as reinforcements, Jon Brady has still left the door wedged open for further additions.

Terry Taylor is a like-for-like replacement for Leonard

News broke yesterday that former Burton Albion midfielder, Terry Taylor, is surplus to requirements at Charlton Athletic, following Nathan Jones' arrival last season.

Out of Town's current midfield options, McGeehan is the only option to have started more than 30 senior games last season, emphasising the need for depth in the middle of the park, ahead of what could be a gruelling League One season.

Dibley-Dias, signed on loan from Fulham, was naturally touted as the heir to Leonard's role, however Brady downplayed those comparisons, saying they are 'totally different players'.

Town are yet to replace Player of the Season, Leonard, who started every game last season and was integral to Cobblers' style of play which helped secure a mid-table finish.

In the absence of Leonard, the style of play has shifted to be significantly more direct, as evident in Northampton's opening day defeat at Bristol Rovers on Saturday.

Taylor, though, matches the profile of Leonard, who joined League One rivals Birmingham City on a permanent deal over the summer. The 23-year-old is comfortable dropping deep to collect the ball off the centre-backs, which didn't happen often in last Saturday's defeat.

Taylor's promising career has stalled since Charlton move

Former Scotland and Wales youth international, Taylor, came through the ranks at Wolverhampton Wanderers and made his first-team debut for the Premier League outfit against Aston Villa in the Carabao Cup in October 2019.

A loan move to Grimsby Town followed in September 2020, making 14 appearances, before a permanent switch to Burton Albion in February 2021.

Taylor impressed in his one-and-a-half-year stint with the Brewers, attracting the attention of Charlton, who forked out £150k in compensation to sign the highly-rated midfielder at the conclusion of his Burton contract.

However, an ankle injury which required surgery last October led to Taylor only making seven appearances last season, of which only two were League One starts.

Taylor wasn't included in the Addicks' squad for their Carabao Cup tie against Birmingham City on Tuesday. When asked about the midfielder's absence, manager Jones responded: "We’ve got one or two that we don’t feel are going to play regularly, so for their careers if they want to move on they can. If not we will use them."

Despite his troubles in South London, in 2022/23, Taylor was among the best players in the division for the Brewers before injury ended his campaign prematurely.

Comparisons can certainly be drawn between Taylor and Leonard, even though the Welshman has seen fewer minutes, due to injury, than the former Cobblers loanee.

Taylor won't be short of suitors

One thing is for certain, and that is that Taylor won't be short of interest as the transfer window reaches its concluding weeks.

According to Football Insider, Rotherham United and Barnsley are interested in taking Taylor on loan from Charlton for the 2024/25 season.

The clubs that are interested dwarf Cobblers, of course, certainly in their spending power, but for a loan agreement, Charlton will be reluctant to strengthen potential promotion rivals and Cobblers could offer game-time and a development opportunity that others may not.

When fit, Taylor would likely be the first midfield name on Brady's teamsheet, an essential factor in a potential loan deal if the 23-year-old is to eventually succeed at the Valley or fetch some return on investment.

A potential move by Northampton would certainly be an audacious one, but the possibility of Taylor inheriting Leonard's previous role will only serve Town's chances well.

Northampton can still strike another two loan deals after signing Callum Morton, Dibley-Dias and Luke Mbete on season-long loans, as EFL clubs can name up to five in a matchday squad.

The signing of Taylor would strengthen Town's midfield, without a doubt. Cobblers have been presented with a unique opportunity to swoop for a player who has proven he can plug the gap left by Leonard's departure. Northampton should certainly throw their name into the ring regarding a loan deal.