Millwall transfers left them with £7.5m profit - 'some of the best' decisions made | OneFootball

FLW's Millwall fan pundit shares their thoughts on the business involving Caleb Taylor, Japhet Tanganga, and Tristan Crama

Millwall have their sights firmly set on the Premier League, and with a top six finish looking increasingly likely, the Lions are still hunting down Coventry City and Middlesbrough in the automatic spots.

Incremental improvements have been made year upon year at The Den, with Millwall now within a real shot of firing themselves to the Premier League for the very first time this season.

Under the guidance of former Preston North End and Stoke City manager Alex Neil, the Lions are within touching distance of the top flight, with a place in the play-offs looking heavily likely should they not claw their way into the top two.

The likes of Femi Azeez and Mihailo Ivanovic have earned plaudits in attack, though it is their back line which has been the bedrock of their form this campaign.

Alongside the ever-present Jake Cooper, numerous defenders have come and gone throughout the years, yet the 31-year-old has remained at the heart of defence despite this.

As one defender left this summer, another joined, and some Millwall fans will argue that they have actually upgraded whilst making a healthy profit.

Millwall's reshuffling of their defensive options

This summer saw Japhet Tanganga depart The Den for Sheffield United for a fee worth a potential £10 million, whilst Caleb Taylor joined Millwall from West Brom for a mere £2.5 million.

Taylor has joined both Cooper and Crama in the Millwall defence and excelled, whilst Tanganga has had a rocky time since his move to South Yorkshire.

Football League World's Millwall fan pundit, Lucas, has shared their thoughts over the sale of Tanganga and reinvesting that money in Taylor, with Crama already at the club, and has name-dropped the constant in their back line throughout all of these players' success.

Lucas said: "They're potentially some of the best we've done in recent times. I'm not 100% sure about what we actually paid for Tristan Crama, but whatever it was, he's absolutely still one of the best right-backs in the division, and also one of the best centre-halves in the division.

"Yeah, Caleb Taylor, West Brom obviously didn't really want to sell him, but I think their hand was kind of forced by financial fair play rules and everything that comes with that these days. And obviously, with Taylor being an academy prospect on their side, it counts as pure profit as well financially.

"Look, Tanganga was very good for us. He was an exceptional centre-half for the vast majority of his time with us. That being said, he's not had the greatest of seasons at Sheffield United by all accounts. They obviously had a torrid start to the season, and Chris Wilder then came back in.

"There are obviously different things at play, and it's not all down to the players necessarily. But it speaks volumes when a player goes away and doesn't do as well. And, the one constant in all of them, all of these players playing well at centre-back, particularly, is that they've been next to Jake Cooper.

"We've seen so many centre-halves in the last few years next to Coops do really well. You know, Dan Ballard, who's now smashing it in the Premier League with Sunderland. Charlie Cresswell, who's got interest from some big clubs, has done very well since that loan spell with us. Obviously, Tanganga had that period. Now, Taylor and Crama. Coop's is often underrated, but often one of the first names that opposition teams pick out when they're playing us, particularly, you know, from a defensive perspective.

"But look, overall, I think the fees that we've got for Tanganga of what, £8 million, something around that mark, or potentially moving upwards towards the £10 million region. Plus, Crama and Taylor are doing really well. So yeah, it's generally pretty positive.

"Time will tell, you know, and the club has obviously always moved towards this new transfer strategy and is really committed to that move in fairness to them. So it's been pretty good overall."

Jake Cooper remains key for Millwall

With Taylor emerging as one of the brightest upcoming defenders in the second tier, and Crama already cementing his status as not only one of the best centre-back's in the league, but one of the best right-backs too, it's no coincidence that Cooper has been there alongside them the majority of the time.

Seeing Tanganga struggle to hit his previous heights since leaving Millwall is hardly a surprise considering Cooper is no longer beside him, whilst both Charlie Cresswell and Dan Ballard previously spent time on loan at The Den alongside Cooper before thriving elsewhere.

Millwall will be hoping that Taylor can have a similar progression as them with Cooper rubbing off on him.

Unlike Cresswell and Ballard, Taylor is with the Lions permanently, and has the potential to not only surpass them both in ability, but could also help to guide the club to the Premier League and to be sold for a substantial profit in the future.