Millwall are early transfer winners as £35k-a-week man endures tough Sheffield United spell | OneFootball

Japhet Tanganga made the switch from Millwall to Sheffield United this summer

Japhet Tanganga joined Sheffield United this summer from Millwall, but it would be safe to suggest that his start to life at Bramall Lane hasn't gone exactly as he, or the Blades, would have hoped.

Sheffield United's start to the 2025/26 season couldn't have gone much worse.

After narrowly losing out to Sunderland in the play-off final last campaign, Chris Wilder was relieved of his duties and replaced by former Southampton, Reading and Hull City boss Ruben Selles for this upcoming campaign.

The Spaniard kept Hull up on the final day of last season after joining the Tigers midway through the 2024/25 campaign, and joined the Blades in what was a real chance to prove himself as a top Championship manager.

The likes of Nils Zatterstrom, Ben Godfrey, Tyler Bindon, Tahith Chong, Danny Ings, Djibril Soumare and Tanganga all joined the club either permanently or on loan over the summer, the latter of which switched Millwall for Sheffield United for £10 million.

Since then, not many could have possibly predicted what was to come for the Blades.

Japhet Tanganga has endured a difficult start to life at Sheffield United

Having been announced as Sheffield United's new manager in June 2025, Selles lasted just six games in charge, losing every one of them before being sacked in September, just three months later, in what was one of the shortest managerial reins the Championship has ever seen.

Wilder, who was sacked just months prior, has returned to the club for his third separate stint, as the Blades hope to revive their campaign quickly.

Since his switch to Bramall Lane, Tanganga, who penned a three-year deal worth an estimated £35k-per-week, has played the full ninety minutes in each of his six games for the club so far, but has tasted victory just once, losing the other five.

Although his wages put him as the highest-earning permanent player at the club, behind only Ben Godfrey, who joined from Italian side Atalanta on loan, Tanganga's start to life in South Yorkshire has been rather nightmarish.

The 26-year-old has been made the club's captain for the last four matches, and has partnered each of Bindon, Ben Mee and Mark McGuinness in either a back four or back three.

There remains a hint of uncertainty from Wilder as to what his best team currently looks like, and whether it is in a back three or four.

Tanganga is capable of playing in both, and will likely retain his place in the starting eleven regardless, as he is also able to deputise at right-back if necessary.

Having beaten Oxford 1-0 at the Kassam Stadium the other week, things seemed to be on the up for the Blades, but back-to-back defeats to Southampton and then Hull see them remain at the foot of the table, behind city rivals and crisis club Sheffield Wednesday.

Up next for the Blades is a home tie against Watford, where they will desperately be hoping to return to winning ways and climb the division to avoid being drawn into a relegation battle.

Millwall are the early winners in Japhet Tanganga's Sheffield United deal

With Millwall losing Tanganga this summer, replacing him was always going to be a difficult task, but they have struggled only a little so far.

The Lions currently sit in eighth, just outside the play-off places, having defeated West Brom 3-0 in their most recent match - a statement victory if there ever was one.

With Jake Cooper and Tristan Crama already at the club, Alex Neil's side brought in Caleb Taylor from the Baggies this summer to replace Tanganga, and although the defender is yet to make much of an impact, both Cooper and Crama have made the loss of Tanganga easier.

Millwall pocketed a substantial fee for the 26-year-old, who had just one year remaining on his deal before his move to Bramall Lane, and seemingly have come out of the deal better off than their counterparts.

It's still early days, and there is time for Tanganga and Sheffield United to turn things around, but at this stage, Millwall are the winners in this deal.