Millwall could look to ex-Chelsea and West Ham player if Zian Flemming is sold: View | OneFootball

Now that Millwall’s Championship status has been confirmed, the club can start looking ahead to this summer.

Given how disappointing the 2023/24 season has been for the London side, manager Neil Harris and the club’s hierarchy will likely want to make some changes in the squad ahead of next season.

One player the club will not want to lose though is talisman Zian Flemming, as while he may not have been as productive as last season, he is still considered key to the club.

Like previous transfer windows, the Dutchman is likely to attract transfer interest once again, and Millwall may need to be prepared for the eventuality that he could depart The Den.

Zian Flemming’s Millwall situation

Zian Flemming has now been with Millwall for two seasons after signing from Dutch side Fortuna Sittard.

The 25-year-old joined having had three excellent seasons in terms of goals scored, and Flemming continued that with the Lions.

Last season, the forward scored 15 goals and chipped in with three assists in the Championship, making him one of the standout performers in the league as Millwall pushed for play-off football.

That form put him on the radar of several clubs last summer, with Burnley being the most noticeable - they had several bids knocked back for the 25-year-old.

This season hasn’t quite been as successful, with Flemming scoring seven goals and grabbing five assists in 45 games. But it hasn’t stopped the speculation, with MLS side San Jose Earthquakes linked with a move for the player a few weeks ago.

Millwall will need to brace themselves for another summer of speculation, and if he is sold, the club will need to find a suitable replacement, and they could find that in former Chelsea and West Ham youth player Dan Kemp.

Millwall could turn to Dan Kemp

Obviously, Millwall will want to get through this summer transfer window by keeping hold of Flemming, but given their poor season and teams still watching the Dutchman, it may be time the pair parted ways.

If that is the case, the Lions will be under significant pressure to find a suitable replacement, and while he may not be at the top of many fans' lists, MK Dons midfielder Kemp could be the perfect candidate, given his performances this season.

Kemp has been with MK Dons since January 2022, and while he has spent time on loan at other clubs, he has continued to perform at a decent level.

At the start of this season, the 25-year-old was sent out on loan to fellow League Two side Swindon Town, and it was an excellent move for the player. He scored 16 goals and recorded eight assists in 27 games.

His performances were very impressive, and MK Dons decided to bring him back in January of this year.

The attacker continued his form with the Dons and finished the League Two season with 17 goals and 11 assists.

Overall, Kemp played 46 times in League Two, 39 of which came as a starter, averaging around 74 minutes on the pitch per game, per Sofascore.com.

The 25-year-old was averaging 0.4 goals per game, a figure that could have been more, given he was taking an average of 2.3 shots on goal per game.

Kemp also missed seven big chances, and left himself with a goal conversion rate of 16%.

As well as the goals he did score, Kemp has been so impressive at creating chances, creating 15 big chances for his teammates, as well as averaging 1.7 key passes per 90. That obviously helped him grab the number of assists that he did. He finished the league season with an impressive Sofascore statistical rating of 7.38.

The concern for Millwall will be that the attacker has never played in the Championship before, but he has really impressed in League Two. He also came through the academies at Chelsea and West Ham, and has some experience with higher-level football and the demands that will be on him.

He may not be a like-for-like replacement, but Kemp has impressed a lot this season, and with a bit of time, he could be a perfect addition to a team like Millwall, if they find themselves opting to replace Flemming without breaking the bank.