Millwall boss Rowett makes transfer vow after Travis links

Gary Rowett says Millwall are working “very hard” to bolster the squad ahead of the upcoming season.

 

 

The Lions finished eighth in the Championship last term, dropping out of the play-off places on the final day following a 4-3 defeat against Rovers at The Den.

Last week, The Lancashire Telegraph reported Millwall had seen a six-figure bid rejected for Lewis Travis.

The midfielder was given the captain’s armband at Rovers last summer and made 48 appearances in all competitions over the past season.

Rowett, who took charge at the London club in October 2019, is keen to keep a lid on his transfer plans.

“When you’re trying to strengthen a team that has challenged at the right end of the Championship for a while now, of course bids are going to be going in,” he told South London Press.

“What we’ve tried to do is not really share that publicly. I don’t think it is fair to do that. When you are also talking, sometimes, about other team’s players then it is not necessarily respectful.

“We always try to do our business in the right way, which means very much under the radar. We are working very hard.

“What you want to do and what you are able to do – timeframe-wise – are always two very different things in this window.

“Everybody has the aim to get all their players in before they come back for pre-season, but the reality is that no-one ever does that.”

Millwall kick off the new Championship season with a trip to Middlesbrough, who finished fourth last term before losing against Coventry in the play-offs.

“From experience, no-one is in a massive rush (on transfers) before pre-season dates start to loom,” the boss added.

“Usually then managers start to get a little bit edgy and want the players in quickly – I’m no different.

“I don’t think there has been loads that has been done so far by other clubs. That probably backs up what I’m saying.”

 

 

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Sources: Burnley ponder third bid for key Kompany attacking target Zian Flemming

Burnley have had a couple of bids for Zian Flemming rejected by Millwall, TEAMtalk understands.

 

 

Premier League new boys Burnley have targeted a move for Flemming as they look to bolster their attacking options at Turf Moor following their promotion back up to the Premier League.

Vincent Kompany’s side have firmed up their interest with two bids, which have both been rejected by Millwall.

Flemming was a club record signing of £1.7million by Millwall from Dutch Eredivisie side Fortuna Sittard last summer and they are holding out for a big fee if they are to sell him.

It remains to be seen if Burnley will come back with a third improved bid for Flemming as they look to lure him to Turf Moor.

Burnley are in the market for a No.10 this summer and Flemming fits the profile for the type of signing they are chasing.

Flemming made an immediate impact at the Den last season and established himself as one of the best attacking midfielders in the EFL.

The 24-year-old scored 15 goals last season as Millwall finished just outside the Championship play-off places by one point.

In turn, he was voted by Millwall fans as the club’s player of the season for 2022-23. However, if Burnley persist, it might end up having being Flemming’s only season with Millwall.

Millwall have expected interest in Zian Flemming

Millwall manager Gary Rowett admitted to London News Online back in May: “I would expect quite a few of our players to attract interest.

“You don’t win that number of games in the Championship, and perform so well in a lot of the games, not to have a squad that a lot of other teams would want to look at. Zian is an obvious one because it is his first season.

“Just as much as you can’t dampen down expectation and dampen down the excitement at the end of the season, you also can’t dampen down the speculation of players performing well. That is part of us doing the right things and us, as a club, having the right type of young players who are developing.

“So it wouldn’t surprise me, but it’s not something our club particularly sees as an issue because John (Berylson, owner) has proved in the past we are not a selling club or one that desperately looks to sell our best players every season.

“Therefore I think it will be up to us what we do with any players, depending on any interest.”

Reports from the South London Press have suggested that Millwall might be seeking a fee bigger than any other they have ever received if it comes to selling Flemming. In other words, the asking price seems to be above £8m.