Millwall FC can reach Premier League next season - but two conditions must be met | OneFootball

Alex Neil must retain the services of Ivanovic and Tanganga

Millwall ended the 2024/25 Championship season on the brink of the play-offs, finishing eighth after a late surge that saw them win five of their final seven games.

It was a campaign of resilience and reinvention under Alex Neil, who steadied the ship mid-season and built momentum with a young, hungry squad.

As the Lions now turn their attention to the 2025/26 season, the conversation has shifted from rebuilding to opportunity.

With a settled manager, a cohesive playing identity, and a wide-open Championship landscape, this could be the best shot Millwall have had at promotion in over two decades.

But there’s a catch: two key players - defender Japhet Tanganga and striker Mihailo Ivanovic - are being courted by clubs across Europe. Their futures will determine whether this campaign brings another near-miss or finally ends in a historic return to the top flight.

Millwall must keep Japhet Tanganga and Mihailo Ivanovic to mount a serious promotion challenge

It is no coincidence that Millwall’s rise in form last season aligned with the development of Japhet Tanganga and Mihailo Ivanovic.

Tanganga, who joined from Tottenham Hotspur, has become a defensive mainstay at The Den. With 43 appearances in all competitions, he offered consistency, leadership, and physical presence.

Millwall's 2024/25 Player of the Season has been reportedly subject of interest from Crystal Palace and all three promoted Premier League sides, as well as sides in Germany and France.

In attack, Ivanovic’s emergence was even more striking. The 20-year-old Serbian striker, signed from Vojvodina, exploded into life under Alex Neil, scoring 12 goals in 23 Championship starts across the season.

He ended the season with six goals in the final seven matches - a run that almost single-handedly carried Millwall into the top six conversation.

Quick, strong, and composed beyond his years, Ivanovic showed why several top-tier clubs - including Parma, who reportedly tabled an €10 million bid - are monitoring his progress closely.

Manager Alex Neil has made clear that the club is not actively looking to sell either player, but speculation will persist until the transfer window closes - and the Lions must stand firm.

Selling now would leave too little time to find suitable replacements, and neither Tanganga nor Ivanovic can be easily replicated.

In short, holding on to them is not just important - it is essential.

Why the 2025/26 season could be Millwall’s best shot at promotion in years

The Championship has rarely been more open. With no expected runaway leaders, the door is ajar for well-structured, ambitious clubs to challenge for promotion. Millwall, under Alex Neil, now fall into that category.

Neil’s tactical clarity and player development credentials are already bearing fruit. He has made permanent the deals for Josh Coburn and Zak Sturge and has spoken about adding further quality before the opening fixture away at Norwich City on 9 August.

But crucially, Millwall are no longer a side in flux. They are stable, improving, and already equipped with match-winners.

That’s why timing matters: momentum is hard-earned in football and easily lost. The club's final day heartbreak against Burnley was a reminder of how fine the margins are, but it was also proof they belong in that conversation.

They have a manager with experience, a hungry squad, and a fanbase desperate to see the club finally take the next step.

But if Tanganga and Ivanovic depart - and especially if they leave late in the window - it will feel like a backward step at precisely the wrong moment. Keeping them signals belief, ambition, and a willingness to back the project Neil is building.

Millwall have come close before. This time they might actually be ready, if they have the nerve to hold what they’ve built.