Tanganga leaves: Millwall FC will want to avoid these 2 nightmare transfer scenarios this January | OneFootball

FLW takes a look at two potential departures that Millwall will ideally want to avoid this month.

Millwall currently find themselves mid-table in the Championship, so they will want to avoid having their squad weakened in January in order to build on that during the second half of the campaign.

New Millwall boss Alex Neil recently inherited a squad that has produced some good results so far this term, with victories over high-fliers Leeds United and Burnley standing out as a couple of highlights in their season to this point.

However, the Lions have only won once in their last eleven league outings, so Neil will know that he needs to turn their form around if they are going to avoid sliding further down the table.

Therefore, the January transfer window will be important for the club, as they do not want to risk being dragged into a relegation battle by having a weakened squad when the window closes at the end of the month.

With that in mind, let's take a look at two players that the Lions will ideally want to keep hold of during the January transfer window, amid reports linking them both with moves away.

Romain Esse

Millwall supporters will be concerned that teenager Romain Esse could be set for a move away this month, amid reports linking Crystal Palace with the Lions' academy graduate.

Head coach Neil revealed that he was aware of the interest in an interview with London News Online earlier this week.

“There is interest from Crystal Palace. It has been well-documented. How far down the line that is, I’m not too quite sure," said Neil.

“But I think people need to recognise how well we as a club have done by securing Romain on a new contract, which took, by all accounts, a lot of convincing to stay.

“We don’t want to lose our best players but everyone understands the contract situation surrounding Romain. If he does move he will move for significant money which from the club perspective has been brilliant business considering we could’ve lost him in the summer (next summer) for free."

London News Online revealed last year that there is an eight-figure release clause included in the new contract Esse signed in August, and it seems as though any interested parties would need to trigger that if they want to complete a deal for the youngster.

It is believed that Millwall would like to take Esse back on loan for the remainder of the season if he does leave this month, as per The Standard, but it remains to be seen whether that is something which is likely to happen.

Japhet Tanganga

Another player who Millwall will not want to lose this month is Japhet Tanganga.

The defender has been a key part of a back line that has conceded just 23 goals in 25 Championship fixtures so far this season - the only sides in the division that have let in fewer goals are in the play-off places.

It was a real coup for the Lions when they secured the permanent signing of Tanganga on a free transfer following his departure from Tottenham Hotspur in the summer, and they will definitely not want to lose him already, especially considering the performances that he has been putting in.

Premier League side Wolverhampton Wanderers have been linked with a January move for the 25-year-old, as per The Express, although Alex Neil has claimed that he is not aware of any 'serious' interest in the centre-back.

If Millwall are going to climb the table rather than look over their shoulders during the second half of this season, they cannot afford to lose Tanganga and Esse, so it would certainly be a nightmare for the club if they were both to depart midway through the current campaign.