Millwall on the cusp of fresh Chelsea transfer - Japhet Tanganga update also emerges | OneFootball

A familiar face will be heading back to The Den from Stamford Bridge.

Millwall have agreed a deal to sign former Chelsea loanee Zak Sturge on a permanent deal.

An early summer move has been made by the Lions as they are nearing the official completion of their first deal of the window, as per The Express. Sturge spent the latter half of last season on loan at The Den after joining the Championship club on Deadline Day.

Despite limited appearances, the 21-year-old former Brighton & Hove Albion academy member impressed during his temporary stay in Bermondsey, so much so that Millwall were keen to push for a permanent move for him this summer.

Sturge started in three of his five Championship appearances for the club and helped them to keep a clean sheet in his debut game against Norwich City. He featured on the bench regularly too, before more game time came his way in the last month of the season.

Millwall agree deal to sign Zak Sturge from Chelsea

Pending the completion of all the necessary paperwork and a medical, the Chelsea youngster will link up with Millwall again for the foreseeable future. This follows reports from the BBC's Nizaar Kinsella that the two clubs were in advanced talks over a deal for Sturge.

There has been no mention of the fee that the Lions will pay their London rivals in order to sign the defender, who still has one year left on his deal with the Premier League team.

Millwall's boss, Alex Neil, spoke highly of the youngster following his debut. "He did well," stated the boss, via Southwark News. "There were just a couple of times, obviously he’s really eager, he sort of pops that ball and runs beyond it before we secured it. So a couple of little bits to improve on.

"I thought he was competitive in the air. I thought you could see he’s athletic, handles the ball well. There’s nothing better when you’re a young lad that’s come in, got on the pitch and your team wins 1-0 right at the death so he’ll be delighted with that."

Zak Sturge news is timely given Japhet Tanganga exit threat

Sturge's return will not only be welcomed because of what he can offer to the Lions, but also because of what they may lose in his rough area of the pitch too. Star centre-half Japhet Tanganga has a £1.2 million release clause in his Millwall deal that Premier League clubs can activate.

Crystal Palace, plus the three newly promoted top flight teams, were said to be interested in him. Conflicting reports from Richard Cawley have emerged, though, suggesting that the Eagles aren't looking in the 26-year-old's direction.

While the six-foot-two Chelsea defender was used on the left side of a back-four under Neil in the 24/25 campaign, he can also play in the middle of a defensive unit. If the former Tottenham Hotspur first-team player does end up leaving The Den this summer, Sturge may be groomed to eventually take over from him.