Millwall could explore AFC Bournemouth deal to ease potential Zian Flemming exit: View | OneFootball

Millwall's 3-1 victory over Cardiff City on Saturday eased the Lions' Championship relegation worries, with Neil Harris' men now sitting in 16th place with a six-point cushion between themselves and the relegation zone with three games to play.

Zian Flemming - who provided an assist during Saturday's win - has been the Lions' key player since his arrival in the summer of 2022, and despite not hitting the heights of his debut year in South Bermondsey, the Duchman sits top of the club's top scorer and assists rankings with seven goals and five assists in the 2023-24 Championship.

Flemming may not have hit the lofty heights of his 2022/23 return, in which he scored 15 goals and assisted on three occasions, but he could still be set to leave his current club.

Last summer, TEAMtalk reported that Burnley had multiple bids for Flemming rejected as they failed to meet the Lions' asking price of £15 million for the ace's services.

The attacking midfielder could be exiting The Den this summer though, as he recently hinted at a move away from his current club in an interview with Dutch outlet Soccer News.

Bournemouth forward Jamal Lowe could be Millwall's ideal Zian Flemming replacement

Should Flemming leave his current club this summer, an ideal replacement could be AFC Bournemouth's Jamal Lowe, who ranks as the seventh most similar player to the Millwall man on FBRef based on stats from the past 365 days.

During his current loan spell at Swansea City, Lowe has scored eight Championship goals, which betters Flemming's seven, but the Jamaica international has just three second tier assists to his name, whereas the Dutchman has five.

According to FBRef, Lowe is a more clinical shooter than Flemming, as the Swans star has a shots on target percentage of 43.2% compared to the Lions man's 29.3%.

But Flemming is slightly keener than his Swansea counterpart, with 2.15 shots per 90 minutes compared to Lowe's 1.82 shots per 90 minutes.

Jamal Lowe is a realistic transfer option for Millwall

Lowe is clearly a dangerous player at Championship level, and he could be an asset who would bolster the Lions' attack, even in the event of a Flemming departure.

During his first season in the second tier, the former Portsmouth man scored six goals and produced five assists for Wigan Athletic during the 2019-20 campaign.

He then went on to score 14 goals for Swansea City during the 2020/21 season, which earned him a move to Bournemouth - then of the Championship - in August 2021.

Lowe partly helped the Cherries to their Premier League return with seven goals and two assists during the 2021/22 campaign, in which the Dorset club earned automatic promotion.

He never really kicked on at top flight level though, and only made two Premier League appearances with the Cherries before being loaned to Queens Park Rangers in January 2022.

During his current loan spell in South Wales, the Cherries man is once again proving his eye for goal at Championship level, while his contract at his parent club expires this summer, so the Lions could pick him up on a free transfer.

While the London outfit would not have to pay a transfer fee to land Lowe, his wages could be an issue as Capology estimates that he earns £12,000 per week, which would make him the Lions' third-highest earner in the event of a Flemming departure if those estimates are accurate.

However, as per Capology, Flemming is on an estimated salary of £15,000 a week, so the Lions could see a lower wage bill should they make this like-for-like swap.

With Flemming's best position being in the '10', Lowe being a wide player or striker by trade would not necessarily mean he would slot into that position if he were to replace the nomadic Dutchman, but his output would certainly have the chance of being similar for a couple of seasons.