Millwall FC must resist Mihailo Ivanovic transfer temptation - Lions can net more than £13.8m | OneFootball

Millwall could bank £13.8 million this summer for their star striker, but he could end up being worth even more

Millwall have smashed their previous record sale twice in the space of two transfer windows after the likes of Romain Esse and Zian Flemming made multi-million-pound moves away from The Den.

George Saville's £7 million was the benchmark for six years until Romain Esse made the switch to Crystal Palace for an initial £12 million this past January, and this summer has seen the loan deal for Zian Flemming at Burnley become permanent for £7 million also.

They could be on for breaking it again this summer, after Serie A side Parma registered their interest in young Serbian striker Mihailo Ivanovic, with The Lions believed to be holding out for an initial £13.8 million for the 20-year-old.

Ivanovic's first season in English football has Millwall fans excited about his progression, after netting a team-best 12 Championship goals in just 23 starts following his arrival from Vojvodina.

An eight-figure fee may be too good to turn down from a Millwall perspective, but perhaps they should hold out for another season or so to see how the 20-year-old improves, in the hope that they could bank even more when Ivanovic inevitably moves on.

Millwall FC's Mihailo Ivanovic could be a top-tier Championship goalscorer very soon

In a season where not many players had incredible years in front of goal, Mihailo Ivanovic's 12 actually landed him joint-seventh in the Championship goalscoring charts, and the 20-year-old has all the potential to score more next season.

The Serbian international started just two of the opening 22 league games following his £2.8 million move to the Den, but under

Alex Neil, he has been one of the first names on the teamsheet.

Ivanovic ended the 2024/25 campaign in top form, and likely didn't even want the season to end, as he started the final seven, scoring two braces, six goals altogether, and helping his Millwall side to a final-day battle for the top six.

If he goes into the 2025/26 term in a similar vein of form and carries that throughout the season, there's no doubt that Ivanovic could be among the top scorers in the league and Millwall could make an outside dart at a second tier top six finish for the first time since 2001/02.

And if he can score upwards of 20 goals next season, nothing is stopping the Lions from demanding around £20 million for his services in the summer of 2026.

The lure of Serie A may be too much for Millwall to keep hold of their 20-year-old star

Parma's first season back in Serie A after three years in the Italian second division was a success, reaching their goal of survival on 36 points. Now, they're looking to extend their stay, and they believe that Mihailo Ivanovic could be the key to doing so.

Every player wants to participate in the top divisions, and the lure of playing against some of Italy's best may force Ivanovic, who is still under a "long-term" contract signed last summer, to want out.

The 20-year-old has had experience in Serie A too, having spent the 2022/23 season on loan with Sampdoria's youth side. He made one senior appearance in the Italian top-flight, and may feel that he has unfinished business in that league.

So, that, plus a large transfer fee at this time, may force Millwall's hand. Plus, there's no saying that Ivanovic will continue his form and add a few more millions to his price tag this season - and a bad season may even lessen his value instead.

It's a risk, but one that, if Millwall can continue to get the best out of the 20-year-old, could pay off tenfold.