Recent financial boost gives AFC Wimbledon a Lyle Taylor dilemma: View | OneFootball

With the recent sale of Josh Davison, and the sell-on clause activated by Jack Rudoni's Coventry move, Wimbledon now face a transfer puzzle

Highlights

AFC Wimbledon have recently received a boost to their funds, with transfer moves for Josh Davison and former fan favourite Jack Rudoni netting the Dons a tidy windfall.

However, now that Davison has secured a move to Tranmere Rovers following his disappointing two-year spell with Wimbledon, and Jack Rudoni has moved on from Huddersfield Town to Coventry City, with the Dons gaining their money from a 'percentage of the profit' clause, there is now a dilemma.

The Dons still need to make a statement signing this summer, and also need a fourth striker following Davison's exit. So, with all the funds available, it does feel like now or never for Lyle Taylor and Wimbledon to link up.

AFC Wimbledon's recent cash boost

For a good while, the Dons have not been in the position where multiple transfers have managed to bring in money for the club.

Most fans would easily tell you that barely any money was earned from players moving on, even if they were stars in their respective Wimbledon teams.

However, since 2021, there has been a slowly-growing change in terms of the selling culture at the club, with the approach now seemingly geared toward bringing in the maximum amount of money in as many ways as possible, with player sales at the forefront of that.

This summer has not seen the biggest turnover in money just yet, with Davison being the only player moved on for a fee so far, but clauses placed in the transfer deals for Ali Al-Hamadi and Jack Rudoni have meant that the Dons have received a real boost to their coffers in the past few weeks and months.

The funds from Al-Hamadi's transfer to Ipswich were already impressive, but the add-ons included in the deal, thought by many fans on social media to revolve around promotion to the Premier League, have since been activated, netting the Dons a good amount of cash.

Meanwhile, the much more recent transfer of Rudoni to Coventry is thought to have brought in around £800k, following a clause implemented into the original deal that took Rudoni to Huddersfield from Plough Lane.

Albeit, the fee received for Josh Davison is going to be nowhere near what the Dons likely paid for him initially in 2022, these three financial boosts come at a crucial time, with the club trying to service debt surrounding their move to Plough Lane, as well as the growing costs of football in general.

However, while there should be a good portion of focus placed on trying as best they can to manage the debt, the more pressing concern is readying the side for another season of League Two football, with the squad lacking a star name still, and now a striker short.

Lyle Taylor to AFC Wimbledon: It's now or never

There are still very little links between Taylor and Wimbledon, with the original link, which emerged at the start of June remaining the most up-to-date.

However, the fact is that in the article, Taylor has stated he is open to the move, and for what has seemed like a while now, the ball has been in AFC Wimbledon's court.

The problem is, though, now that pre-season is round the corner, and with coffers loaded with money, a move for Taylor makes sense as the club can afford his relative superstardom, and he needs the maximum amount of time to find fitness ahead of a season in which he will turn 35.

There would be no problem with finding a place in the team for him, as Wimbledon under Johnnie Jackson seem to favour a two-striker formation, and Wimbledon still need a fourth striking option.

However, the problem revolves around his fitness, as stated above.

He is going to need a solid run throughout pre-season, if he first signs for the club, but then also remains uninjured, if he has any hopes of making a real impact on the squad and not turning out to be a waste of money.

Taylor will represent a huge risk taken by the Dons if they go ahead with the reunification, but his signing would certainly prove popular with fans, and have many dreaming of a repeat of the 2015/16 season, but with the thought of going one better than the play-offs by gaining promotion automatically.

Now is the time for a decision.