Wigan Athletic's relegation rivals 'lose three key players'

The Addicks are perhaps the club most in need of the season resuming, having dropped into the bottom three for the first time all season just before the campaign was curtailed in mid-March.

However, with most of his squad out of contract this summer, Bowyer says he will be prevented from fielding his first-choice line-up for the run-in.

"We have 15 out of contract, we've got six loans and nine of our own contracted players who finish at the end of June," Bowyer told talkSPORT.

"Unfortunately for us three of those players have said they're not going to play. Lyle is one of them.

"That's tough for us, tough for me as a manager. He's a big player for us. A bit like [Troy] Deeney at Watford, similar situation, when he plays, we win games.

"Lyle has said he's not going to play because of risk of injury. Chris Solly said the same. [David] Davis, on loan from Birmingham, says he doesn't want to come back and play games. We're three players down. It's just another hurdle.

"But we've got another 22/23 players who do want to play and that's the most important thing to me now. I've got to brush that under the carpet and move on.

"That's what we're doing as a football club, we'll move on without those players and fight to the end."

Charlton's hopes of staying up would be badly damaged by the loss of 11-goal Taylor, who bagged 25 goals last term to secure promotion from League One.

However, with a big move lined up this summer which he doesn't want to jeopardise, he's reluctant to put himself in harm's way - which Bowyer admits is disappointing.

"I don't think I'm asking too much," added Bowyer.

"He's a Charlton player, he's done great for us for two years. In my eyes, finish what you start.

"Everyone has their own decisions to make. What disappoints me the most, I've spoken to Lyle about it, he's in such a difficult position - he wants to play but he's so worried about getting injured that he says he wouldn't be the same player for us.

"It's difficult because he's so big for us. He's going to get a life-changing move.

"When this first happened I thought this could be a problem because I know how well Lyle has done for us.

"If it wasn't for Lyle we wouldn't be in this division. He's chosen not to come back and play to the end."