Patrick Bauer is facing a real dilemma. A year ago, he said he would not extend his stay with the Addicks when his contract ran out (end of June 2019).

‎Bauer wanted to test himself in the Championship again.

‎Blackburn tried to sign the big German on the cheap last summer, and are one of a clutch of clubs interesred in signing him now.

But things have changed. Bauer became a father for the first time during the play-off campaign. And he can of course now play C‎hampionship football at The Valley, though he could earn more with one of the northern clubs chasing him.

But would he want the upheaval of moving his young family up country? Would he want to leave a club and environment he loves, and would he want to leave his smart house in Chislehurst?

Bauer has taken a keen interest in Charlton’s history during his four years in SE7, and it would undoubtedly be a wrench for him to leave.

Here is Head of Recruitment, Steve Gallen’s slant on the situation:

“That (Play-Off Final) will help in terms of trying to keep him – picking up the trophy and he really, really likes Lee and Jacko  as well.

“His agent is probably leaning on him. Pat will be thinking with his heart and his agents will be purely thinking with their heads.

“They’ll be saying to him: ‘Charlton have made us an offer and these clubs have made these offers – which are way more. We recommend this’.

“It will come down to Pat’s decision. We would like to negotiate with Pat, but I think it is going to be a tough one – because he will be offered a lot more money to go elsewhere than he is going to get with us.

“His heart will be pulling one way, I imagine, but his head and his representatives will be pulling the other way.”

‎One player Gallen is confident will sign a new deal is midfielder, Jake Forster-Caskey:

“It’s too early to put deadlines on lads accepting these offers,” he said. “My feeling is that Jake will sign. That would be great for us and him.”