Charlton Athletic fans might not be too happy about the transfer of highly-rated left-back Tareiq Holmes-Dennis to Huddersfield Town .
But Russell Slade, manager of the League I club, remains philosophical about losing the 20-year-old in a deal which could reach £500,000 with add-ons.
VIDEO: Tareiq Holmes-Dennis in action
While supporters took to Twitter to criticise the deal, Slade, whose first-choice left-back in Morgan Fox, told the South London Press: “Tareiq wanted to go.
“He looked me in the eyes and said ‘I want to go gaffer’. It was a player who didn’t want to be here.
“It is not like he was at a team that is going to struggle in League I.
“At the minute we are a team that is doing alright. We’re on a bit of a mission.
“But he doesn’t want to be here – whether that is because they (Town) are in the Championship or financially I don’t know.
“Secondly, he was fighting for a place with Foxy – and he wasn’t winning that battle at this moment in time.
“The fact is he wanted to go and he wasn’t in front of Foxy.”
The 22-year-old Fox has made 81 appearances for Charlton, who are fifth in League I after last season’s relegation.
Slade said of the club academy product: “You want players who have an attitude to get better, to learn – to be the best he possibly can be every single day. Morgan has got that.”
