Harris has blunt message for moneybags predators: Our players are not for sale

Millwall boss Neil Harris has told his Championship rivals that none of his players is for sale.

His stark message to the division’s big spenders like Leeds, Aston Villa and Sheffield United is that he does not need to sell and he does not want to.

Amid reports that gritty midfielder George Saville is a target for Leeds and Villa, Harris said: “No Players are for sale.”

Former Chelsea and Wolves middle man Saville, 25, arrived at The Den on loan in October 2015 and made enough of an impression to be signed permanently a year ago – and went on to play 46 times and score 10 goals in the last campaign.

He began this season in similar style by bossing Middlesbrough’s more expensive midfielders in Saturday’s 2-2 season opener.

Another player being eyed enviously by rivals is centre-back Jake Cooper, reportedly watched in Saturday’s game by Sheffield United.

The Blades could see the 23-year-old as a replacement for Jack O’Connell, who has been the subject of strong bids from the top flight.

Cooper has also been the subject of interest from Scottish Premier League giants Rangers.

Cooper started his career at Reading and rose through the youth ranks at the Madejski Stadium. He went onto play 56 times for the Royals’ first-team.

Cooper was loaned out to Millwall in January 2017 and spent the rest of the 2016-17 season with the Lions. He helped them win the League One Play-Offs under Neil Harris and earned himself a permanent move to the Den last summer – and scored four times last season.