Millwall FC's ideal Romain Esse replacement is French winger playing in Ligue 2 | OneFootball

If Millwall lose Romain Esse then they have an ideal replacement playing in Ligue 2.

Millwall have been the in-form team in the Championship in recent weeks, with Neil Harris' side picking up 13 points from the last 15 available.

During this impressive run, they have conceded just one goal, securing four consecutive 1-0 victories before a 1-1 draw with Stoke City last weekend.

The man who started this run was 19-year-old Romain Esse, who scored an early opener against Plymouth Argyle three weeks ago.

Esse has been involved with the first team for three seasons now, but this campaign he has become a regular fixture, amassing 1,231 minutes so far. This marks a significant step up from previous years, where he was mainly limited to substitute appearances.

The faith placed in him by Harris has been well rewarded as he has managed to score three goals in the Championship as well as putting in a host of strong performances.

This has led to interest arriving, with Crystal Palace keen on the young winger. Millwall will be desperate to keep Esse out of Oliver Glasner's grasp for the foreseeable, but should the right offer arrive, it is feasible that he departs the Den in the upcoming window.

Crystal Palace interest in Romain Esse

As we draw closer to the January transfer period, more rumours will begin to get thrown about, but it seems that Palace's interest in Esse has been a long-standing one.

Since September, it has been reported by respected transfer guru Alan Nixon, that the 19-year-old is of interest to the Eagles.

This concern for Millwall will only be furthered by the fact that Esse's new contract at the Den includes an eight-figure release clause, as per the South London Press & Mercury. Therefore, if Palace can meet this clause, then the Lions can do nothing to stop his departure, and they may be forced to look for a new addition.

Millwall could target ideal Esse replacement at FC Annecy in France

While Annecy may be more popular for being the so-called 'Venice of The Alps', it does have a small football team that currently plays in Ligue 2.

Named after the city they play in, FC Annecy are currently sitting in fifth place and have the perfect answer to a possible Esse departure. The player who could fix this potential problem is their number 22, Clément Billemaz, who is ranked as the third-most similar player to the Millwall forward, according to FbRef.

A natural winger, the 26-year-old has a remarkable resemblance to his Lions counterpart in key statistics such as progressive carries, shots per game and expected assists and goals per 90.

While Billemaz could be the perfect replacement for Esse, should Millwall target him, he will need to step up his game in a few key areas. Comparing their statistics, Esse’s shot-creating actions per 90 are significantly higher, and his defensive output, particularly in terms of tackles, is far superior to the Frenchman’s.

Billemaz would likely be able to do this under the guidance of Harris, but at 26-years-old it would see them targeting a completely different age group. In terms of sell-on-value, he would likely represent very little, and therefore it is difficult to see them chasing the former Dijon player.

The hope will be that instead, they can retain the services of young Esse and allow him to continue developing in a great setup at Millwall.