NEIL Harris is confident Millwall will make the signings he has identified in the January transfer market – and hinted they are targeting players out of favour at their current clubs.
Harris admitted his squad needs strengthening, with injuries and suspensions to key players Byron Webster, Shaun Williams and Jed Wallace stretching resources.
The Millwall boss also confirmed he won’t be offloading any first-team players in the next transfer window.
“I’ve identified players I’d like to bring to the club, players that we want to strengthen us,” Harris said. “And it is to strengthen, it’s not to lose anyone. It’s a small squad and we’ve got a couple of players who probably haven’t played as much as they would have liked, but that’s down to the form of others.
“It’s clear we’re a little bit short at the moment. Behind the scenes the recruitment department and the board have been working hard to try to bring in the targets I have identified.
“In January all managers talk about what a difficult window it is, and it is, they’re not making it up.
“Players that are doing well aren’t available. Players in the lower leagues that catch the eye command a massive fee, they are in the middle of the season and nobody wants to let them go because if they’re doing well it means their team is doing well and is trying to get promoted.”
Millwall were offered a Premier League youngster on loan in August but turned down the move as the club wanted a guarantee of first-team football.
Harris isn’t ruling recruiting players on loan, but stressed it would be “on Millwall’s terms”.
He said. “Whether you’re at the top of the league or the bottom of the league, if young Premier League players are available and you’re fighting for something it becomes about: do you trust them to come in and make an impact?
“If there are players available that will make us better it will be on Millwall’s terms, not anybody else’s. It’s down to us to identify them and have talks and if it fits then great. If it doesn’t then we move on.
“You’re really looking at taking players that aren’t in the plans elsewhere. It then becomes can they fit in with us. Just because they’re not playing doesn’t mean they’re not right for us. But you have to make sure they’re fit and they can come in and make an impact.”
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