Romain Esse situation plays huge part in Millwall FC promotion quest | OneFootball

The 19-year-old is among the top teenage talents in the EFL, but with that comes inevitable top-flight interest.

Fancied by few, Neil Harris' Millwall find themselves in genuine play-off contention one third into the 2024/25 campaign, but the Lions must keep hold of their brightest talent, Romain Esse, for at least six more months if they truly want to push.

With 23 points, Millwall are enjoying their joint-best 15 game start to a Championship season since the league rebranded in 2004/05.

The Bermondsey club have never reached the second-tier play-offs in that timeframe, with their last appearance, a semi-final defeat to Birmingham City, coming in 2002.

It is imperative that theform team in the division take this opportunity by the horns and does everything within their power to reach that ever-illusive top-six.

While the team en masse have been performing exceptionally of late, it is their homegrown, teenage forward who is turning the most heads.

Romain Esse's transfer situation

Having made his debut in December 2022, 19-year-old Esse has been increasing his minutes year-on-year, and signed a long-term contract with the club in August, keeping him from leaving on a free until June 2026, an enormous coup for the Lions.

Despite manager Neil Harris refusing to legitimise the claims, Esse has been linked to a move to Crystal Palace.

In keeping with the Eagles' typical transfer policy, were this deal to come into fruition, Esse would join the likes of Eberechi Eze, Michael Olise and Adam Wharton in joining the South London side from a Championship club.

This is an enticing prospect for Esse, as there is tangible proof of this avenue of career progression bearing international caps and relevance among the sport's elite, using the aforementioned examples as evidence.

What Millwall have to do to keep Esse

Romain Esse has represented Millwall since he was nine, joining the London club in 2014.

Born in Lambeth, and schooled in Nunhead, just over one mile from the ground, it is safe to say that the England U20 international has a deep-rooted connection with the club.

Despite this, if Millwall cannot convince the attacking-midfielder of the club's imminent Premier League prospects, it may be incredibly difficult to keep his head from being turned.

Historically, a player who establishes themselves as an ever-present in a Championship side tends to move on to bigger and better things within the next season or two.

Counting the last five seasons, of the ten players who featured in the top two of 'most Championship minutes as a teenager', seven went on to play top-flight football soon thereafter: Conor Gallagher, Bryan Mbeumo,Oliver Skipp,Sepp van den Berg, Ian Maatsen,Alex Scott and Archie Gray.

This implies that despite Esse's bond with the Southwark side, it may prove unrealistic to stay at the club long-term.

Despite this, short-term retention is entirely plausible. It is reasonable to speculate that Esse, still with time on his contract to command a substantial fee in the summer, is enjoying the possibility of securing a first-ever Premier League promotion for his boyhood club, and will likely relish the opportunity if fortunes continue into January.

For all parties, there is absolutely no rush for Esse to leave this winter, meaning that, if they wish to, Millwall should be able to keep him at least until the end of the season.

While it is unwise for a club to admit that their fortunes rely partly on a teenager, keeping Esse at the Den for six more months is a move that will undoubtedly be key if they are to achieve an unprecedented play-off appearance.