How QPR earned the millions Millwall let slip through their fingers with £19.5m man | OneFootball

Millwall threw away the chance to land an attacker who went on to tear up the Premier League

Millwall had Eberechi Eze in the palms of their hands as a youngster, but didn’t give him the opportunity that QPR profited so greatly from.

It’s hard to imagine it now, knowing the player that Eze would go on to become, but the forward was rejected by Arsenal, Fulham, Reading and Millwall at various stages before getting his opportunity with the Hoops.

He smashed it at Loftus Road, earning a big-money move to Crystal Palace, which could still bring further riches to the west London club.

It could have been Millwall; it’s a decision they’ll regret for some time.

Millwall rejected Eze early in his career

Having been released by Fulham after two-and-a-half years, he unsuccessfully attempted to land a contract with Reading after trials before ending up with Millwall.

They gave him a two-year scholarship deal, but didn’t feel they’d seen enough over the 24 months to warrant further investigation, so released the future England international.

“After getting released from Millwall, my confidence was low and you're still trying to find your way,” Eze told England’s official website. “But I ended up signing a professional contract at QPR.”

It was a move that would change the trajectory of Eze’s career considerably, and leave the Lions with plenty to ponder.

Eze quickly caught fire at QPR

The teenager impressed after signing in the summer of 2016 and earned a new two-and-a-half-year contract at Loftus Road the following January.

He went out on loan to Wycombe Wanderers in the 2017/18, before steadily building up his minutes and goal contributions for the west London side.

It culminated in a 2019/20 explosion, with Eze netting 14 goals and eight assists in 46 Championship outings.

By this point, Millwall already knew they’d messed up, but that point was to be hammered home even more the following summer, when they saw the transfer fee he’d attract.

Millwall will be furious to miss out on Eze millions

Following that stellar season, Palace forked out an incredible £19.5m to take the then-22-year-old to Selhurst Park.

Sums like that are not a common occurrence in the second tier, and can give clubs a spending power they may have previously only dreamed of.

Millwall will know they had the chance to be the beneficiary and blew it. It will rub further salt in the wound to know that QPR added a 20 per cent sell-on clause into Eze’s deal.

The attacking midfielder has ascended to new levels in the Premier League, seeing his value skyrocket.

Fees of up to £65m have been touted, meaning the Hoops’ clause could be worth another eight-figure sum.

Having picked Eze up for nothing, had an incredible couple of seasons from him in the Championship, banked the initial fee and potentially waiting on more down the line, QPR played a blinder.