The lowdown on Benik Afobe – Millwall striker has extra motivation to impress after sealing Den return

Benik Afobe is Millwall’s third signing of the summer transfer window.

The experienced striker has moved for an undisclosed fee from Stoke City

Here is the lowdown on the player.

WHAT DO WE KNOW ABOUT THE PLAYER?

Quite a bit, considering he has just come off a successful season-long loan stay with the Lions.

And his performances and goal return during that period meant that plenty of the club’s supporters were hoping that Afobe would be back again for the 2022-23 campaign.

He scored 13 goals in all competitions for Millwall and was a huge improvement on Kenneth Zohore and Troy Parrott, who had both joined on a temporary basis in the season before from West Brom and Tottenham.

WHAT DOES HE GIVE THE LIONS?

Afobe showed in his last stay in SE16 that he has the pace to get in behind opposition defences and he is an accomplished finisher.

His performance in the 2-0 win over Huddersfield Town in mid-March stands out. Afobe scored both goals and could easily have had four or five on the night, proving too much of a handful for opposition that had been in red-hot form.

Nine of his 13 goals came after the turn of the year and he seemed to get stronger, sharper and more confident as he chained together the matches.

IT’S ONLY A ONE-YEAR DEAL

Afobe had looked set to join Club Brugge but the move broke down over the weekend and the former Arsenal youngster’s instant preference was to come back to the Lions.

It’s a permanent transfer but only for 12 months, meaning that Afobe will be able to assess his options as a free agent next summer – which is also when his Stoke terms had been due to expire.

You can argue that leaves Millwall in a vulnerable position to lose him, but equally if he does have a really successful season then that can only bode well for the South Londoner’s results. Plus, Afobe will have plenty of motivation – if it was required – to deliver the goods.

MILESTONE APPROACHING

Afobe needs just three appearances to reach 200 Championship matches – he’s scored 55 goals at that level.

And if he nets seven goals this coming season then his career haul for Millwall will be 20 and see him go one ahead of his total in 30 matches for Milton Keynes. Wolves is his most prolific club, bagging 29 in 64 appearances.

Afobe has had 12 professional clubs.