Millwall tipped to cash in on Japhet Tanganga as part of triple summer transfer prediction | OneFootball

FLW's Millwall fan pundit has issued some predictions for the upcoming transfer window

This article is part of Football League World's 'Terrace Talk' series, which provides personal opinions from our FLW Fan Pundits regarding the latest breaking news, teams, players, managers, potential signings and more…

The upcoming summer will allow Alex Neil plenty of time to make further changes to his Millwall side ahead of his first full season at The Den.

Neil was appointed on December 31st following the departure of Neil Harris, and has overseen a mixed run of results throughout his first 15 Championship matches in charge of the South London outfit.

This didn't stop the former Sunderland and Stoke City boss from receiving ample backing across his first transfer window, which included splashing a club-record fee on Cameil Neghli from Sparta Rotterdam, whilst Aaron Connolly, Luke Cundle and Tristan Crama have all made solid starts to life with the club.

With the club also pocketing what could be as high as £14.5m for Romain Esse, there is hope that, eventually, they will be able to break into the play-off picture sooner rather than later, with Neil having experience of achieving such feats during his time at Norwich City.

Taking the aforementioned factors into account, Football League World asked our resident Millwall fan pundit, Lucas Ball, to make two predictions regarding what might occur in the summer transfer window.

The first of Ball's predictions focused on Aaron Connolly's long-term future with the club, having signed a short-term deal until the end of the season after leaving Sunderland.

Despite enduring a tough spell in his career, the former Brighton man has settled in well at the Den, regardless of just four starts and a solitary goal to his name thus far, and the club have been urged to consider a fresh, long-term contract with the 25-year-old as one of their main priorities.

"Firstly, I think we'll be quite keen to give Aaron Connolly a new deal," Lucas said. "I'm led to believe he only signed on a short-term contract until the end of the season.

"He's been generally good when he's started games and played - he's had a couple of little knocks recently, so he's not been quite as involved, but he's started his Millwall career very brightly.

"He looks the sort of player, in terms of personality as well, that could be really good at Millwall. And, I think, for him, he would like, and need almost, to find a home.

"So, hopefully we could be that (club) for him.

"He doesn't come through Brighton's academy and get games in the Premier League without having some real talent behind him, so he's clearly a talented boy.

"He's had some off-pitch issues which, are obviously, quite well-documented. But, he looks like he really enjoys it here as well, so I think we'll probably look to give him a new deal."

Millwall tipped to face strong interest in Japhet Tanganga and take Middlesbrough action

Ball then predicted that the club would face even more interest in their prized asset, Japhet Tanganga, who was recently the subject of speculation linking him to Wolverhampton Wanderers and the Lions' bitter rivals, West Ham United.

It was reported in the latter stages of the recent window that Millwall placed a £12m figure on the former Tottenham Hotspur defender, who has excelled ever since moving across the capital on a free transfer.

It has also been stated that there is an agreement between the 25-year-old and the club to consider bids from the Premier League after signing a "long-term contract" in the summer after impressing on loan last season.

Given his ability at Championship level and the potential Tanganga can still fulfill, Ball hopes the club would be able to bank the best possible fee for his services if the towering centre-back was to leave.

"I think there's going to be a lot of interest in Japhet Tanganga, as we've discussed numerous times," Lucas added.

"Him leaving the club wouldn't at all be a surprise. As I keep saying as well, hopefully we can command a decent fee for him if he does."

It was then predicted that the side currently in 11th place would look to make Josh Coburn's loan switch into a permanent move, with Neil already making that stance clear in recent weeks.

"In terms of bringing players in, we'll look to make Josh Coburn's move permanent," Lucas said. "Alex Neil seems to like him, he's got a very good goal record for us.

"If he can stay fit, I think he's a good option for us in terms of being able to go more direct, get balls into the box and have players play off him.

"It gives us a different option, particularly in tough away games where we're expected to be penned in a little bit. It's probably a useful option to have.

"If we can get him for a decent fee, then that will certainly be one (transfer) we'll look to make happen."

Millwall supporters would be satisfied with these three outcomes playing out

All three of these potential scenarios are definitely realistic, and ones which Lions supporters wouldn't be unsatisfied with.

Connolly has, not just for Millwall, but during his time at Hull City in particular, shown the capabilities of being a steady Championship performer, and the chance to settle at a club for a lengthy period of time would only benefit his career in the long run.

It wouldn't come as a shock for the club and Tanganga to part ways, with the defender representing one of the club's best transfer deals in recent times, and a hefty sum of investment for him, alongside the aforementioned fee garnered for Esse in January, would give Neil plenty of scope to attract a higher calibre of player and offer greater financial sums to players as Millwall look to progress forward.

Similarly to Connolly, Coburn has impressed supporters when available, with the Middlesbrough loanee suffering two injury blows which have seen him miss 22 Championship games this season.

However, as Ball alluded to, the 22-year-old would continue to give the Scot a different dimension in attack, as well as continued competition with the likes of six-goal forward, Mihailo Ivanovic.