Middlesbrough FC transfer news: Boro see bid rejected for reported Derby, Birmingham and Blackburn target

Charlton boss Lee Bowyer says the club have rejected an offer from Middlesbrough for goalkeeper Dillon Phillips .

Phillips was the Addicks’ Player of the Year last season but seems to be pushing for a move after entering the final 12 months of his contract.

Charlton aren’t prepared to sell the 24-year-old on the cheap, especially as Lee Bowyer’s side are looking to win promotion back to the Championship at the first time of asking.

And Bowyer says Phillips, who has also been linked with Derby, Birmingham and Blackburn, won’t be Charlton’s No. 1 unless he signs a new deal, with fellow stopper Ben Amos ready to step up.

"We did offer him a good contract in February time and Dillon and his agent said they didn’t want to sign and wanted to see how things panned out,” Bowyer told South London Press.

“They feel Dillon is a Championship goalie. Okay, if that’s the case we got Ben to sign in the summer on the understanding that Dillon will be going – because that’s what his agent was saying.

“That’s what we expect to happen but at the moment we’ve got three good goalkeepers in the building.

“Middlesbrough made an offer, but we rejected it.”

Bowyer says Charlton will sell Phillips if he doesn’t sign a new deal but doesn’t want the club to be held to ransom.

“I feel I gave Dillon the chance and I think he should sign so that we’re not getting pushed back into a corner again,” Bowyer added.

“Obviously we want Dillon to stay but basically it is his agent that is saying no.

“But agents nowadays they feel like they have the power and say ‘okay, we’ll go on a free’.

“Yeah, we are going to sell if he doesn’t sign. If he doesn’t sign then there is a big chance he won’t play.

“Ben will start the season. I told Dillon that and Dillon told his agent. If you don’t want to sign you’re not going to be starting the season.”

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