Charlton Athletic director Katrien Meire has confirmed that Diego Poyet will leave the club after rejecting an offer of a new contract.

Diego, son of Sunderland manager Gus Poyet, impressed as he made 23 appearances in the Championship last season, but the 19-year-old will now become a free agent following eight years with Charlton.

"We are extremely disappointed that Diego has turned down our offer for him to stay with us," Meire told the club's official website.

"We did all we could to persuade him to remain with the club where he has played from a very young age.

"Along with our fans, I enjoyed watching his progression last season and hoped we would continue to enjoy his development at The Valley for a while longer."

Poyet is believed to have attracted interest from Chelsea in recent months.