Millwall will be keeping a close eye on Carlisle United before January: View | OneFootball

A former Lions man is now back playing in England

The start to the 2024/25 season has been a difficult one from a Carlisle United perspective.

Following relegation from League One at the end of the previous campaign after just a single year in the third-tier, the drop into League Two is yet to yield an upturn in form for the Cumbrians.

Three defats in their first four league games led to the departure of Paul Simpson as manager, with Mike Williamson leaving his role at MK Dons to take over at Brunton Park.

It has, however, not been the most encouraging start to life as Carlisle manager for Williamson, with one win and two draws in six league games so far.

That has left the club in a rather precarious position in the early standings, as they sit second from bottom of the League Two table, two points from safety.

So with the club surely desperate to turn things around as quickly as possible, they will be hoping that their latest signing can make a positive impact to help improve that situation.

Tyler Burey signs for Carlisle

While the summer transfer window may have closed back at the end of August, clubs can, of course, still add to their squads via the free-agent market.

That is something that Carlisle did on Saturday when they announced the signing of Tyler Burey on a free transfer.

The striker had been a free agent prior to that move to Brunton Park, after departing Danish side Odense by mutual consent back in the summer.

However, he is now back in the game, after signing a short-term deal at Brunton Park, initially until January.

Having made that move, Millwall will surely be taking a keen interest in how Burey fares during his time with Carlisle.

Former striker could be one to watch for Millwall

The striker came through the youth ranks with AFC Wimbledon, and made a handful of first-team appearances for the club, before heading to Millwall in the summer of 2019.

It was at The Den where he played the vast majority of his senior football to date, amassing 58 appearances in all competitions for the Lions.

During that time, he showed plenty of promise, impressing in a loan spell with Hartlepool United during the 2021/22 campaign before returning to Millwall and impressing, which saw him named their Young Player of the Year.

There were high hopes for Burey at that time - with many feeling that he could blossom in South Bermondsey or at least earn the Lions a sizable fee.

Neither would come to fruition, however. He fell out of favour under Gary Rowett and was forced to train with the U21s, with the then-manager admitting that things didn't feel right.

There were links to Championship and League One clubs in the summer of 2023 but he would eventually move to Danish Superliga club Odense for a fee estimated to be six-figures.

At that point, the striker had scored just three goals during his time with Millwall, and he would endure a challenging 2023-24 campaign.

Burey also found it tough to hold down a place with Odense in Denmark, leading to him spending the second half of last season on loan in League One with Oxford United.

Even there though, he struggled for game time with the U's, as they ultimately won promotion via the play-offs.

For Burey, that lack of game time may have left some Millwall fans wondering what had gone wrong for a player who showed such promise during his original period with them.

Indeed, that is perhaps emphasised by the fact that Odense agreed to terminate his contract by mutual consent this summer, despite there being two years to go on his deal.

Consequently, this move to Carlisle for the striker will surely be an interesting one in the eyes of those of a Millwall persuasion.

Joining a club languishing towards the bottom of League Two, this is an opportunity for Burey to make himself a key man for his new side, and show what he can do.

Having not really done that since he left The Den, individuals there will no doubt be keen to see how he fares, to get an idea of whether they made the right decision in letting him go.

Given he is only contracted to Carlisle until January, it may not take long for Millwall to find out the answers to those questions.

Whether or not he is given, or at least offered a new deal at Brunton Park will be telling, in terms of showing whether he has done enough to impress at that level.

Having come on as a 64th-minute substitute in a 1-1 draw with Harrogate Town on the same day he signed for Carlisle on Saturday, it does seem as though he will be given a chance there.

With that in mind, it does seem as though Millwall will have reason to keep a close eye on Brunton Park in the coming months, to see if they made the right call over Burey last summer.