4 Premier League players that Millwall FC could sign ft Kasey McAteer | OneFootball

The Lions could look to the league above to bolster their squad ahead of the new season

Millwall put together a respectable mid-table finish last term but will improve on that next time out, and the Premier League may hold solutions.

The Lions have already shown their ability to dip into the leagues below them to poach top talent, as shown with their shrewd move for Macaulay Langstaff.

But if they want to gain ground on the play-off chasing teams this season, some quality and experience from above could be the answer.

Here, FLW looks at four Premier League players that Millwall could consider...

Kevin Mbabu

Since signing for Fulham in 2022, Kevin Mbabu has made just seven appearances for the Championship club and has spent more time out on loan than with his parent club.

It's fair to say the 29-year-old's time at Craven Cottage has not gone to plan, and both parties are likely keen on finding a route out of the problem.

The right-back's two loans have taken him back to Switzerland and Augsburg in the Bundesliga. With a year left on his deal and a club option for an extra year, the Cottagers may be happy to see him back out on loan simply to reduce his impact on their wage bill or a cut-price permanent deal could be on the table to recoup any of their initial £6.4million investment.

Mbabu is clearly fond of English football, having spent his early career with Newcastle United and accepted the Fulham move more recently. His tough spell with the latter is unlikely to have produced many top-flight admirers. Millwall could leverage that - and their location in the capital - to build an attractive offer for the Switzerland international.

The Lions have just one natural right-back in their squad in Danny McNamara, so some competition here will likely raise performances to a level befitting a club aiming to rise up the league. It goes without saying that Mbabu's top-flight European experience and his pedigree on the international stage would be an incredible bonus for Millwall.

The player himself may need some convincing to drop to a second-tier club, but the money floating around the Championship, and the potential to earn passage to the Premier League, often leaves it competing with the top divisions of many nations in terms of quality.

Paris Maghoma

The Lions currently have four listed central midfielders, with half of those over the age of 31.

Injecting youth to provide some fresh competition here seems in order and Paris Maghoma from Brentford could be an interesting acquisition.

The 23-year-old is fresh off the back of a successful loan spell with Bolton Wanderers, in arguably the best season of his career so far, providing eight goals and four assists in 37 League One appearances from midfield.

Last term represents strong progress from the former Tottenham Hotspur academy prospect. A campaign that he had a big impact on almost ended in promotion, but the Trotters fell at the final hurdle at Wembley.

To take the next step up, then, will require a move elsewhere, and Millwall could prove the ideal landing spot. Breaking into a Premier League side feels a step too far at this stage. With just 12 months to run on his contract, either a permanent or a loan deal could be on the cards, depending on where he sees his career, and what Brentford have to offer him.

Kasey McAteer

Similarly to right-back, Millwall are lacking a trusted operator in the attacking third on the right flank, with various players stepping out of their most natural role to plug this gap.

Leicester City's Kasey McAteer enters the final year of his contract this year and the club's return to the Premier League may have put his minutes in doubt, with the side signing Bobby De Cordova-Reid and Issahaku Fatawu in his position this summer, the latter sealing a costly permanent move after a successful loan with the Foxes.

With just a year left to run on his current deal at the King Power Stadium, a deal may be there to be made that suits all parties. It has been reported by journalist Paul Abbandonato that Cardiff City are in talks for McAteer, so the Lions could look to hijack that proposed move.

Netting six times in just 23 Championship appearances last season makes the Leicester man an exciting prospect at 22 years old, and would satisfy a need in Millwall's squad.

Ryan Fraser

Much of Millwall's talent down the left is made up of young prospects, with the likes of Adam Mayor and Aidomo Emakhu, 19 and 20 years old respectively.

An injection of experience may be useful here, and the Lions could explore an ambitious move for current Newcastle man Ryan Fraser.

The 30-year-old spent last season on loan at Southampton, scoring 6 goals and providing two assists in the second tier in a season that saw the Saints win the play-offs.

Fraser has made clear that he would like a move back to St Mary's Stadium, but the Premier League returnees already have talented young left-sided players in Kamaldeen Sulemana and Samuel Edozie, so that area may not be seen as a priority as the Saints look to prepare their squad for the top-flight challenge ahead.

It has been reported that Fraser is training with the youth squads at Newcastle, so a move away from the club seems imminent, but Southampton is far from the guaranteed destination. Millwall should keep a close eye on those developments and consider whether they could jump in and offer the experienced winger more certainty.