Alex Neil drops update on Kevin Nisbet's situation at Millwall | OneFootball

The Lions' head coach has spoken on the future of one of his centre-forwards.

Millwall head coach Alex Neil has made a clear promise regarding the future of Scottish international striker Kevin Nisbet.

The 28-year-old spent last season on loan at Aberdeen, where he scored 14 goals in all competitions and showed that he is still capable of producing the kind of form that convinced Millwall to sign him from Hibernian for a fee of £2 million in the summer of 2023.

The striker netted just five goals in 27 Championship appearances for the Lions during his debut season at The Den, which resulted in him being sent out for a loan spell in his homeland last summer.

Now, Nisbet is back at Millwall with one year remaining on the three-year deal he signed upon his arrival two years ago, but with the possibility of a one-year extension being activated next summer, the door is not completely closed on his long-term future at the club.

Neil makes Nisbet promise

Despite the fact that Nisbet is currently sidelined with an injury, Millwall boss Alex Neil has made it clear that he will give the striker a chance to prove himself once he has returned to fitness, as per Southwark News.

"I watched some of his games at Aberdeen," Neil said.

"I spoke to him since we came back, I spoke to him in the summer before we came back in.

"We want to get Kevin fit. Unfortunately he's injured at the moment but when he does get back fit the opportunity is there for him to try and stake his claim to get in the squad.

"So he's like every other player we've got, there's no differences, like I've said there's no pre-conceived ideas on any player at the moment - everything is up for grabs."

Millwall have handed Serbian striker Mihailo Ivanovic the number nine shirt ahead of the upcoming campaign after he scored 12 goals in the second tier last season, while the Lions have also paid a club-record fee worth in excess of £5 million to sign Josh Coburn on a permanent basis after his loan spell at The Den last term.

Therefore, it could be difficult for Nisbet to break into the starting lineup next season even with Neil having promised to give the striker an opportunity to prove his worth.

Nisbet could have a better chance of breaking into the team next season if Ivanovic is sold this summer, with the 20-year-old having been the subject of an £8.6 million bid from Italian side Parma earlier in the transfer window. The Lions are said to be holding out for a figure closer to £13.8 million.

Nisbet could revive Millwall career under Neil

The appointment of Alex Neil as Millwall head coach could potentially prove to be a turning point in Nisbet's career at The Den, despite the fact the striker was out on loan at the time of the 44-year-old's arrival in December.

Scotsman Neil is a head coach who has ties to the game north of the border, having played for and managed Hamilton Academical for a decade, so he may be well aware of what Nisbet has shown in the past for Hibernian, Aberdeen and the national team.

Of course, Nisbet will need to make the most of his opportunity to prove himself once he returns to fitness, but Neil's promise has at least given him a chance to revive his career in England.