MILLWALL boss Gary Rowett expects the market to get busier in the final month of the transfer window as the Lions aim to add more recruits before August 31.
Millwall made five signings early in the window but need to move players on to further bolster their options. The main priority is another attacker.
But activity is down in the five major European leagues. From the Lions’ perspective, it means that if Premier League clubs aren’t making the signings they want then they won’t sanction loan moves for their players.
Millwall recruited Troy Parrott and Kenneth Zohore on loans from top-flight Tottenham and West Brom last season.
The Lions have been linked with a move for Burnley midfielder Josh Benson, for example, but so far the only player Sean Dyche has added to his outfield squad this summer is defender Nathan Collins from Stoke City.
Transfer budgets hit by the absence of fans in the leagues below Millwall also affect what the club can do.
Some of the players Millwall would like to offload would ordinarily be attractive options for League One clubs, but those clubs are struggling to come up with funds for fees and wages.
Rowett insisted he’s not “desperate” to get rid of anyone from his first-team squad, but he knows room has to be made for more recruits.
“We would like to do more business, we have to be sensible but that’s a natural process” Rowett said after the 1-1 draw at Gillingham on Tuesday evening. “Not a lot has happened in the market so far, but I’m expecting it to pick up a little bit.
“I haven’t got anyone in the squad that I’m sat there thinking I’m absolutely desperate for that player not to be here. But of course players want to play football and if there are opportunities for some of those players to get regular football elsewhere we’ll have a look at that situation and then see if we can strengthen further.”
Image: Millwall FC