"I was very surprised he didn’t leave" - Millwall claim emerges around Romain Esse | OneFootball

FLW's Millwall fan pundit discussed the club's best bit of business this summer

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…

Romain Esse has been tipped for a very bright future by our Millwall fan pundit after an excellent start to the 2024/25 Championship season.

The 19-year-old has been highly-rated at The Den for some time, but this looks like it will be his breakthrough season, and he's played in all six of the Lions' fixtures so far, starting all four Championship games and scoring against Bristol City.

He was rewarded with a new deal just last week, which means Millwall have some security over his future amid links with moves away in the past.

The likes of Hull City and Burnley were linked with moves for Esse last year, according to Southwark News, and it wouldn't have been a surprise to see Premier League clubs sniffing around him, such is the 19-year-old's potential.

Keeping Romain Esse at the club deemed Millwall's best bit of summer business

FLW's Millwall fan pundit, Chris Chapman, was surprised yet relieved that Esse had signed a new deal at the club, and believes that keeping him at the club was the best bit of business the club did this summer, despite the signings they made.

Speaking to Football League World, Chris said: "I’m kind of surprised that Romain Esse didn’t leave. He’s been a bit-part player until this season, coming in and out of the side under Gary Rowett and Neil Harris.

"He is an England U19 international, he’s highly regarded, and I know he’s been watched by a lot of Premier League clubs, and I was very surprised he didn’t leave as under his previous contract he would have been out of contract and able to discuss deals with other clubs at the end of this season, so it’s not as if he was tied down on a really long deal.

“But in turn, getting him to sign a new contract is the best bit of business we’ve done.

“The lad has started all the league games this season, and quite honestly, he looks like a Premier League player. At Millwall we’re not used to having these really talented and technical players, and he is the type of player who’s a joy to watch.

“He’s an outstanding talent, and he’s one of our own, he’s a local boy, which makes it all the better, but the fact we were able to keep him means that he is now our talisman that Zian Flemming has left.

“The fact we were able to tie him to an undisclosed, but new contract is a good thing as one day the time will come we have to sell him, but at least we’ll make a fair bit of money now, hopefully.

“Romain Esse is, in my opinion, the best bit of transfer business we’ve done all summer.”

Romain Esse will make Millwall big money in the future

For a 19-year-old to be performing how he has during the early weeks of the Championship season, it looks a certainty that Premier League clubs will be keeping tabs on him.

He's just signed a new deal, which means that while Premier League clubs can make offers for him in January and next summer, they can be expected to have to fork out big money, which shows how important it was for him to put pen-to-paper on a new deal.

Millwall have a real asset on their hands, and Neil Harris will want to use him while he can, because if he continues on this trajectory, he may not be at The Den for too long.

Getting Esse to sign a new deal was excellent business from Millwall, and they look set to reap the rewards on the pitch this season, and potentially off it in the years to come, should they accept a big-money bid.