Eagle-eyed early arrivals at the Madejski Stadium on Saturday may have spotted Tulio de Melo entering the ground.

The rumours that the Brazilian was to play in Monday’s Under-21 clash with Cardiff proved to be unfounded and there are various theories as to why the player did not feature.

The most likely reason is that it was never intended that he would play. Would the club glean much about his abilities from seeing him in a lower standard game?

de Melo is very much a target man and as such, would add another dimension to Charlton’s play. Look at how Huddersfield’s fortunes have improved since Chris Powell brought the experienced Grant Holt in on loan.

Holt has a scoring ratio of about a goal every three games, whereas de Melo record is about a goal every four games.

The Brazilian cost Lille four million Euros when they signed him in 2008 but he played just five games for his last club, Evian, and the 29-year-old is now a free agent.

Whether the Addicks and his representatives strike a deal remains to be seen, but the signs are that the club are keen on him.

It seems that a genuine target man is an option that Bob Peeters would like. Charlton’s goal on Saturday came from a peach of a left-foot cross by Chris Solly.

George Tucudean should have sewn the game up late on when Johann Gudmundsson played a perfectly weighted low cross through to him.

With a player of de Melo’s aerial ability in the middle, how many more goals might the Addicks reap?