"It's a bullet dodged" - Millwall verdict given on Barry Bannan offer falling through | OneFootball

FLW's Millwall fan is happy that his club didn't break the bank to bring in the 35-year-old this past 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…

Barry Bannan signed a new deal at Sheffield Wednesday this summer, despite all the off-field concerns about the club's financial position.

Wednesday fans had to sit and watch on as key first-team players walked away from their contracts after Dejphon Chansiri failed to pay wages on time five times in seven months.

However, despite being out of contract at the end of last season, Bannan remained loyal through the tough times, training with the club over the summer despite not being contracted, and then eventually penning a new deal a week before the 2025/26 campaign began.

Given the 35-year-old's leadership and ability, though, he was understandably in high demand from other Championship clubs whilst he was out of contract over the summer.

According to an interview with The Times, Bannan received "big offers" from "stable clubs," and whilst he didn't disclose them, it was reported in the piece that Middlesbrough and Millwall were set to offer him three times his current Wednesday wage, said to be £7,000 per week.

Whilst no one can doubt Bannan's ability, and many feel that he could keep operating at this level for another few years as he approaches his forties, the rumoured sum has raised the eyebrows of FLW's Millwall fan pundit, Lucas Ball.

Millwall fan pundit sceptical of Barry Bannan links — feels that "he wasn't the answer" in midfield, regardless

According to Capology, only Joe Bryan and Alfie Doughty are estimated to earn over the rumoured £21,000 that Millwall were offering Bannan.

Whilst those numbers aren't too outlandish, Ball doesn't believe that his club would offer that much to a 35-year-old, no matter how good he still is.

"I'm a bit doubtful of the reports that we offered that much. I can't see that being the case. But, if we were, I can see [him deciding not to come to Millwall] as a bullet dodged," he said.

"He's a good player at this level and has been for many years, but he seems very settled up north and didn't want to leave Wednesday in the summer, despite the issue that the club had.

"But good luck to him. He's obviously had a great career there and has spent a lot of time there, and he's trying to do good things to help them stay in the division, which looks unlikely, of course.

"I am slightly doubtful of those reports, though, and I do see it as a bullet dodged."

Ball does feel that Millwall do need midfield additions, but even then, he doesn't think that the Wednesday captain would have provided what Alex Neil needs currently.

"Given the injuries we have, we do possibly need another body in midfield," he continued. "But I don't think he would be the answer to our issues.

"I feel our main issue is that we don't have someone who can drive forward with the ball from midfield and take players on to find creative passes in the final third, rather than picking them out from a slightly deeper role, which is what Bannan does.

"So, I don't necessarily think he's the right type of midfielder for us right now, and I think it was the right decision not to push harder for a deal."

Barry Bannan is an incredible midfielder, but £21,000 may have been a step too far

Whilst Bannan would have been a useful asset to sides battling for promotion, such as Middlesbrough and Millwall, a contract of £21,000 per week for a man who turns 36 in early December may have been a little too much.

Granted, it seems that nothing was going to prize the Scotsman away from Hillsborough this summer, as the Wednesday captain seemed intent on remaining at the club during their dark few months as Dejphon Chansiri's reign came to an end.

However, if Bannan was up for a move away from Sheffield Wednesday, it would have been an eyebrow-raiser if he ended up receiving a healthy eight-figure contract.

Outside the former Premier League sides, not many Championship clubs can say they have too many players on contracts above £20,000 a week, and whilst Bannan is a top-quality leader and midfielder for the level, it would have been a clear overpay if either of those sides were successful in their bids for him.

So, as Ball said, a bullet dodged, and with both Millwall and Middlesbrough seemingly there or thereabouts without Bannan in the side, perhaps neither would have needed him this season, anyway.