CHARLTON are no closer to making an official bid for West Ham’s Sam Baldock despite Championship rivals Bristol City reportedly having agreed a fee with the Irons for the striker.

The Addicks have been strongly linked with the 23-year-old forward throughout the close season but their chances of actually getting him appear to be fading after Bristol City had a reported £1.5m offer accepted.

When asked if Charlton could now step in to prevent Baldock heading down the M4, manager Chris Powell replied: “I don’t know. He is not a player we’ve bid for.

“He is a sought after player, he is a goal scorer.

“Every team wants those but at the moment I have no news on any sort of imminent bid for him.”

Powell also downplayed suggestions the Addicks were about to try and lure Michail Antonio to SE7 from Reading after the Royals attacker was linked with Charlton.

“It is silly season still,” said the Valley boss.

“He is a player who went on loan to Sheffield Wednesday and made a bit of an impact but I’ve had no discussions with him, his advisors or Reading.”

Central defender Dorian Dervite replaced Leon Cort for the final half hour of today’s 1-0 defeat at Gillingham but Powell was playing his cards close to his chest when asked if a contract was likely for the trialist.

He said: “It is not for me to talk about deals or whatever now but he done OK.

“I will speak to him and his advisors and see where we go from there.”

Meanwhile, Powell has confirmed strike duo Paul Hayes and Leon Clarke could be heading out of the club.

He said: “I’ve spoken to Paul and to Leon Clarke.

“They are two players who want to play regularly and I’ve said to them ‘I will find it hard to play both of you regularly’.

“They both want to play and I want to be fair to them that if it isn’t going to happen for them here, whether we can fix up a permanent or loan move for them, that may happen.

“They are still my players but obviously I’ve got to prepare for the season and I’m sure those two players will get some football eventually, whether it is here or elsewhere.”

And the Addicks boss added his plan to loan out keeper John Sullivan was still some way off yet.

Powell said: “We are not going to let him go out on loan and get some football until we are OK with our keepers.

“We can’t do that because those two are our only fit keepers, Ben Hamer and John Sullivan.

“Until we can do something in that area John will stay.

“He will go when the time is right – right for him, for our club and the club he goes on loan to.”

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