Charlton Athletic defender Patrick Bauer has seen a rapid rise in his stocks after his last-gasp goal against Sunderland just over a week ago in the League One play-off final win at the Wembley Stadium.
Courtesy of Bauer’s heroics in the dying minutes of the game, the Addicks managed to pave their way into the second tier of English football and he is apparently a man in demand from various clubs across Britain.
The Daily Mail has reported that Bauer is on the radar of the English Championship outfit Hull City. Besides, it has also been reported that Preston North End, QPR, Reading, Blackburn Rovers and Wigan Athletic are pursuing him.
Bauer is now out of contract after the end of his four-year stint at the Valley and he has no dearth of admirers, with Scottish outfits Rangers and Hibernian also monitoring his situation closely.
Charlton Athletic’s manager Lee Bowyer is optimistic of keeping Bauer in his arsenal by using the prize money earned by them for returning to the Championship to offer the 26-year-old a new and improved contract.
However, Bauer would have the luxury of making the final call considering the number of clubs knocking on his door and it would be intriguing to see which club he plays for in the next campaign.
A shrewd signing for Hull City
Hull City finished thirteenth in the Championship standings under the stewardship of Nigel Adkins and there is no denying that the Tigers would need to beef up their ranks to challenge for promotion next term.
Liam Ridgewell and Ondrej Mazuch have recently departed from the KCOM Stadium after being released by the club and Bauer could be a welcome addition for them as we would inject a breath of fresh air.
Bauer is well-built and is a tough tackler and an astute reader of the game. He has the physicality necessary to withstand the rigours which Championship has on offer and he would be much more confident about himself next season.
Having plied his trade for VfB Stuttgart, Maritimo and Charlton Athletic, he is a battle-hardened player with plenty of experience under his belt and is on the verge of entering the peak stage of his career.
He captained the Red Robins in their promotion-winning season and would also offer his leadership traits to Hull City if the move materialises. In all honesty, Adkins would strike gold if he manages to get hold of him.
