Millwall in advanced talks to sign Chelsea player - He's set for permanent Stamford Bridge exit | OneFootball

The defender spent the latter half of last season on loan at The Den.

Millwall are getting closer to signing Chelsea loanee Zak Sturge permanently this summer.

Despite playing only five Championship matches for the Lions in the previous campaign, Sturge clearly impressed manager Alex Neil and the Millwall hierarchy.

The 20-year-old left the Bermondsey club at the conclusion of the last term, alongside other temporary signings Josh Coburn, Ryan Wintle and Calum Scanlon.

The Lions want to bring the Chelsea youngster, who moved to Stamford Bridge from Brighton & Hove Albion in 2023, back to South London, and there is good news on that front as they are said to be nearing an agreement with the Premier League outfit.

Millwall close to agreeing Chelsea purchase

According to Nizaar Kinsella, the two clubs are in advanced talks to send Sturge back to The Den permanently. The left-back's contract is up next summer, but Millwall want to sign him sooner than later.

His debut for the second tier side came against Derby County in February. Millwall won 1-0 thanks to a last-minute winner from Coburn.

On Sturge's first cameo for the club, Neil said, via the Southwark News: "He did well. 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."

That was, unfortunately, the only clean sheet that Sturge kept last season, but, as he demonstrated in that first outing, he is a very combative defender. He didn't lose one aerial duel in those six league appearances, with an overall duel success rate of 66 per cent.

Defensive targets, like Sturge, need to be monitored by Millwall amid Japhet Tanganga threat

Millwall need to make sure that they have deals like Sturge, and potentially more defensive additions, lined up. Their star centre-half, Japhet Tanganga, has a £1.2 million release clause in his contract which, after the season he has just had, will surely attract a lot of interest.

The 26-year-old kept 14 clean sheets in 40 Championship appearances last time out and won the Millwall Supporters' Club 2024/25 Player of the Season award. Only Premier League sides are allowed to activate it, as per Rich Cawley, but you've got to imagine that there will be some sides in the lower half of the first tier that look at Tanganga as a really strong option for that price.