Exclusive: Sky Sports pundit sends Charlton Athletic clear Theirry Small warning | OneFootball

Lee Hendrie has given his view on whether Charlton Athletic should keep hold of defender Thierry Small this summer.

Pundit Lee Hendrie believes Charlton Athletic should do everything possible to keep hold of defender Thierry Small this summer following their promotion to the Championship.

Small initially joined Charlton from Southampton last February on a short-term deal before the club triggered their one-year extension option in the summer, and while he was offered a long-term contract at The Valley, it seems he decided against accepting that proposal.

After helping to keep the Addicks in League One last term, Small was a crucial part of the team that won promotion to the Championship this season, with Nathan Jones' men securing their return to the second tier after a five-year absence with a 1-0 win over Leyton Orient in the play-off final at Wembley on Sunday.

Small played a starring role in Charlton's success, and it seems that his performances have not gone unnoticed, with journalist Alan Nixon claiming that Preston North End, Blackburn Rovers and Leyton Orient are keen to sign the 20-year-old on a free transfer this summer, while as FLW exclusively revealed earlier this month, Derby County, Millwall and Oxford United are also among his suitors.

Having first been linked with Small in January, Preston are reportedly set to make a "big push" to sign the defender, but the Lancashire outfit could face competition from a number of their fellow Championship sides, and it remains to be seen what impact the Addicks' promotion will have on the situation.

Lee Hendrie sends Charlton Athletic warning over Thierry Small

Speaking exclusively to Football League World, Hendrie claimed that Charlton must attempt to tie Small down to a new contract this summer, and he insisted that the only way for them to thrive in the Championship is to retain their best players.

"To be fair, Thierry Small has been brilliant for Charlton," Hendrie said.

"I commentated on the play-off final, and he's a talented young man.

"He's strong and physical, he's got all the attributes, and he's quite versatile as well.

"I think Charlton need to keep hold of him because this was his first full season, I know he's been on loan in Scotland.

"He's maybe just got himself used to the game and the physicality, but he's not short of that anyway.

"He's a wide player or a full-back who can cause teams problems, and he's had a fantastic season at Charlton.

"I think they need to keep him of him, particularly going into the Championship now.

"They are a football club who could have good potential next season, but the only way they can have good potential is if they keep hold of all their top players, including the likes of Tyreece Campbell and Matty Godden, and I think Thierry Small is one of those players.

"They've got a good young crop of players who have come through, and you'd want to keep him of him unless you're getting ridiculous money.

"I think a season in the Championship might take him to that next level."

Wembley success could give Charlton Athletic a big Thierry Small advantage

Small impressed for Charlton during their promotion-winning campaign this season, so it is easy to see why he is on the radar of a host of other clubs, and his ability to play on the right or left side of defence makes him an incredibly useful asset.

Had the Addicks failed to win promotion from League One, Small's departure would have been inevitable this summer, but they have given themselves a significantly improved chance of keeping hold of him by returning to the Championship.

Given how he has excelled at The Valley over the past 18 months, you would assume that staying with Charlton would be Small's preferred option, but with plenty of more established second tier sides showing an interest in the defender, the South London outfit may still face the threat of losing him.