Millwall facing double transfer concern - It must be sorted by August 9th | OneFootball

Millwall will not want speculation over key duo Japhet Tanganga and Mihailo Ivanovic to drag on into the new season.

Millwall have made impressive progress under Alex Neil, which is why the manager deserved the new contract that he signed this week.

An 8th-placed finish represented progress for the Lions, and the long-term objective for Neil is to get the team into the play-offs and to ultimately win promotion.

That may seem ambitious, but Millwall are heading in the right direction under the Scotsman, and they have a sensible structure above the boss.

Millwall are paying the price for on-field improvements

Yet, it’s not all good for the Lions, as their relative success is coming at a price, as Premier League clubs start to take note of the talent at The Den.

The £14.5m January sale of Romain Esse was an example of Millwall's player trading working in an effective manner, as they made a big profit on the academy graduate, which will be reinvested into the club.

But, losing your best players can’t become a theme if you want to be in the mix for promotion, which is why reports of interest in Japhet Tanganga and Mihailo Ivanovic will be a concern.

Tanganga has been a superb addition for the Lions since he joined, establishing himself as a top defender at this level with his strong performances over the past 18 months.

So, news that he can leave this summer for just £1.2m is obviously far from ideal.

The hierarchy will come in for criticism for agreeing to such a release clause, but it’s highly likely that Tanganga wouldn’t have signed for Millwall if those terms weren’t in place.

Either way, it’s such a bargain, and it’s impossible to imagine that top-flight clubs won’t come in for the ex-Spurs man at that price.

With Ivanovic, an exit won’t be as clear-cut, but the Serbian is attracting interest from Lazio and Wolves.

At 20, the striker still has room to improve, but he is already a very good player, evident by the 12 goals he scored in the league last season.

We know that goalscorers are hard to find, and if the Londoners have one in Ivanovic, they must make the most of it whilst they can. Realistically, he will take that next step in his career at some point, but they will hope that he can give the club at least one more year.

Millwall will hope for quick transfer resolution

However, as we know, money talks, and every player has a price, so if Millwall’s valuation is met for Ivanovic, he will move on.

That will be part of their wider strategy, and selling players is something they have to do, as the incoming funds can help you move forward as a club overall.

It’s something Liverpool did to great effect with Philippe Coutinho, and the likes of Brentford and Brighton have embraced that over the years as well, along with many other successful clubs.

But, what those clubs generally have in common, is that they did deals on their terms and at the right time.

For Millwall, that will mean getting this sorted quickly, as they will want to know where they stand, and, if they must replace their star defender and top goalscorer, they need time to identify suitable replacements.

If there is uncertainty surrounding the pair, it could also impact the atmosphere around the club. The new season should be a time for optimism or hope, but constant speculation over Tanganga and Ivanovic will change that.

Millwall are in a good place right now, but whether they can continue on an upward trajectory under Neil will depend on the summer window.

Even if Tanganga and Ivanovic depart, there’s no reason why the Lions can’t kick-on, but learning the outcome of their respective futures will be pivotal in helping Millwall cope without their best two players.