"Esse could be sold for more than Flemming" - Millwall backed following tough Zian Flemming, Burnley call | OneFootball

Millwall have been praised for how they've coped following Zian Flemming's departure in the summer.

This article is part of Football League World's 'Terrace Talk' series, which provides personal opinions from our FLW Fan Pundits regarding the latest breaking news, teams, players, managers, potential signings and more...

Millwall’s decision to let Zian Flemming leave in the summer window has been praised, with his departure allowing Romain Esse to thrive.

It was a busy summer window for the Lions, as Neil Harris prepared for his first full season in charge of his second spell at The Den.

Whilst Millwall did some good business, it was a difficult end to the window, as Burnley finalised a late move for Flemming.

The Dutch attacking midfielder joined the Clarets on loan initially, but it included an obligation to make it a permanent switch next year for £7m.

Zian Flemming was key for Millwall

That was a big loss for Millwall, as Flemming had established himself as a key player for the club following his arrival from Fortuna Sittard.

The 26-year-old was outstanding in his first campaign in English football, as he scored 15 goals in 43 appearances as the side pushed for the play-offs.

Even though his second year was more difficult, with Flemming scoring just seven times, he still impressed on occasions.

Millwall’s Zian Flemming sale has worked out well

Therefore, his exit was expected to hit Millwall hard, but they have done well so far this season.

And, when asked by FLW whether the Londoners are missing Flemming, our Lions fan pundit Chris Chapman explained that whilst the Burnley man is a quality player, he has been replaced effectively by Esse.

“I think there are two answers to this.

“Firstly, at the end of the day, he is a very, very, very good player at Championship level, so any club would miss him. He was our talisman, more so the season before last, but he’s a good player and any club would miss him in their XI.

“However, the other answer is that we made a significant profit on him, and him moving on allowed us to play in a different way, allowing other players to flourish - like Romaine Esse, and that has given us a platform to bring in.

“We’ve got Esse in the side, we can get him on the ball a lot more, which is good for the team, and the club, as Esse could be sold for more than Flemming.

“So, it was the right decision. Arguably, we should’ve got more money for him. I think £7m was generous, as I think he will go on to play in the Premier League, but do we miss him? Again, it’s difficult, it’s how you look at it. You could say yes or no. Right now, I wish him all the best, and I say thanks very much for our £7m.”

Millwall’s transfer strategy has paid off

The reality is that Millwall will never be the biggest spenders at this level, so they have to use player trading as a way to improve.

That means finding players like Flemming for a relatively low fee, and then selling him on at the right price.

In this case, his departure has given Esse the chance to feature regularly, and they’ve spent money in other areas of the team to improve as a collective.

So, key figures at the club deserve credit, and it’s the approach that Millwall must maintain if they are to be successful over a sustained period.