One player who it seems Millwall will have a fight on their hands to keep come the January transfer window, is Romain Esse.
The 19-year-old has enjoyed an impressive start to the campaign with the Lions, scoring three goals and providing one assist in 12 Championship appearances.
By contrast, he found the net two times in 25 league outings across the whole of last season, highlighting the progress he is making.
That though, is starting to attract plenty of interest from elsewhere, with Premier League side Crystal Palace reportedly considering a January move for the attacking midfielder.
Of course, the Eagles do have plenty of history when it comes to signing players from the Championship, so it could be hard for Millwall to keep Esse, if they do make their move.
Should that happen, the 19-year-old looks as though he would leave a void for Neil Harris’ side that would need to be filled.
So with that in mind, we’ve taken a look at three potential replacement for Esse that Millwall should be considering in case Crystal Palace sign the teenager in January, right here.
Kwame Poku
Peterborough’s Kwame Poku continues to catch the eye in League One this season, currently sitting top of the third-tier scoring charts.
It is not only his ability to take chances that is impressive, but the fact he creates them too, with the 23-year-old also racking up a number of assists again during the current campaign.
At his age, he has plenty of time to improve as well, and with his contract due to expire in the summer, Peterborough could be under pressure to sell in the January window.
That could be something for Millwall to take advantage of, and Poku’s ability to play in a range of attacking midfield roles matches well with Esse’s as well.
As a result, he could be just the right type of replacement at The Den, and given other Championship clubs will surely be interested, it would be a coup as well.
| Kwame Poku Peterborough United record (all competitions) – stats from Transfermarkt | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season | Division | Appearances | Goals | Assists |
| 2021/22 | Championship | 23 | 0 | 2 |
| 2022/23 | League One | 44 | 6 | 12 |
| 2023/24 | League One | 49 | 12 | 8 |
| 2024/25 | League One | 15 | 7 | 5 |
| As of 28th October 2024 | ||||
Thelo Aasgaard
Another option from League One who could be worth considering for the Lions if they lose Esse, is Thelo Aasgaard.
Having come through the academy ranks at Wigan Athletic, the 22-year-old is now a key first-team regular for the Latics.
He is another who is at the right age to develop into a reliable Championship player, and has already shown he is capable of coming up with big moments in front of goal from very little.
That could all make him a useful alternative for Esse at Millwall, especially considering he too is capable of playing in a range of attacking midfield roles.
Grady Diangana
If Neil Harris’ side were to look elsewhere in the Championship, then West Brom’s Grady Diangana could arguably be an option worth considering.
The 26-year-old already has plenty of useful experience at this level, where he has shown he can be a major threat, previously helping the Baggies to promotion.
However, he has struggled to maintain a place in the side in more recent times, starting just four Championship games during the current campaign.
As a result, given he is out of contract at the end of this season, West Brom could be tempted to cash in on him in the January transfer window, while they still have the chance to do so.
That in turn, could perhaps make Diangana a reasonable option for Millwall to consider, if they want a more senior option to step into any void that might be left by Esse at that point.
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