Charlton boss makes claim over Liverpool loanee – and admits they weighed up move for Liam Millar last season
BY RICHARD CAWLEY
Lee Bowyer is confident that Liam Millar will be heading back to Liverpool a better player once he gets the Charlton treatment.
The likes of Krystian Bielik, Josh Cullen and Conor Gallagher have all kicked on after recent loan spells in SE7.
Canadian international Millar, 21, signed a new contract with the reigning Premier League champions before heading to South London.
“He is quite similar to Alfie [Doughty] but plays down the other side – he’s right-footed,” said Bowyer. “He picks the ball up and travels with it. He will go past people.
“He is not the finished article, because if he was then he wouldn’t be coming to us. Liverpool want him to get more experience and he played in Scotland last season [for Kilmarnock].
“We’ll work to improve him, like we do all the players who come to us. He will be exciting to watch and has that pace on the break.
“I think Premier League clubs know we look after their players – on and off the pitch. And by the time we send them back 99 per cent of the time we send them back as better players and they’ve learned something from us.
“We want the same when we send our young lads out, you want them to develop.
“Liam was definitely on our radar in the summer. Last season we just thought it was maybe a little too early for him to come to us in the Championship. We think this is the right time to bring him in.”
Millar, whose father Alan was on the Addicks’ books as a youngster, made his Liverpool debut in the FA Cup against Shrewsbury Town last season.
Millar had been captaining the Reds’ U23 side and has scored five goals in 14 matches in Premier League 2 and the EFL Trophy.
“It feels great to be a Charlton player and I’m excited to get going,” said the Toronto-born attacker, who has been capped eight times by his country.
“Charlton are a big club and you can see that just by walking around the stadium, so I’m very excited to be here.
“I spoke to the manager on the phone, he had very clear goals, stuff that I think I can come here and help with.”
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