MAHLON Romeo said it was a “no-brainer” to sign a long-term deal with Millwall.
The 20-year-old defender only made his first-team debut in February but his impact was immediate and the club quickly moved to secure him until the summer of 2019. Romeo signed his new contract just nine matches into his senior Lions career.
Exactly a year ago Romeo was without a club having been told by Millwall’s League One rivals Gillingham they would not be offering him a professional deal.
But after being recommended to Millwall and impressing on trial towards the end of last season, Romeo became manager Neil Harris’ first singing in the summer, initially penning a one-year deal.
And he said he didn’t take long to decide to commit his future to the club long term.
“I’ve loved every moment I’ve had at Millwall,” Romeo said. “It was a no-brainer, I made my mind up straight away and would have taken anything they offered.
“It’s crazy what’s happened in a year, the ups and downs, it’s the complete opposite now. It’s something that I sometimes think about.
“I’ve had a few congratulations from friends and coaches at Gillingham who are happy to see me do well here.
“It’s a privilege to be here on a longer deal and I’m really looking forward to it.”
Romeo has played every minute of the last 12 games since making his debut at Walsall, with Millwall keeping eight clean sheets in those games.
“To be fair, that’s all credit to the other players and the coaches, they’ve made the environment really comfortable for me,” Romeo said. “They welcomed me in.
“I’m a relaxed person anyway. My main goal is to concentrate each day in training and take each match as it comes. I try not to think about the whole pressure thing too much.”