Hint that Sheffield Wednesday midfielder will not play for loan club again

The 25-year-old midfielder, who made eight Championship appearances for the Owls before moving on for a loan stint with the Addicks until the end of the season, enjoyed a run of matches under the man who signed him, Michael Appleton, but has since fallen down the pecking order under new boss Nathan Jones and has made only one league start since the end of January.

That start came in their last-but-one draw with Cambridge United - which made it surprising to some that Bakinson was left out of Charlton’s squad altogether for the weekend’s home draw with Shrewsbury Town.

In a difficult campaign Jones’ side have pulled away from any threat of relegation to League Two and are unbeaten in 14 matches - though 10 of those have been draws. Bakinson was one of five loanees left out of the squad altogether - big names Freddie Ladapo, Lewis Fiorini, Panutche Camara and Louie Watson were also absent - raising the question of whether the Charlton boss is treating their end to the season as one looking beyond shorter-term fixes.

“It’s a bit of a coincidence and a bit of that,” Jones admitted ahead of their final fixture of the season at Wycombe Wanderers.

“We’ve had loan players in here – I don’t like taking loans because if we believe in the work we do, I don’t want to develop other players for them (other teams). We want to develop our own players. We have got good enough young players here and players here that we can develop our own assets – that’s what I like doing.”

Bakinson faces an uncertain future. His contract with Wednesday comes to an end this summer, though The Star understands there is a one-year extension clause available to the club. Having joined for an undisclosed five-figure fee from Bistol City in the summer of 2022, he has played a total of 42 matches in Wednesday colours, registering two goals and an assist.