Millwall boss Rowett: Mahlon Romeo transfer exit doesn’t change our own recruitment plans

Millwall manager Gary Rowett says that Mahlon Romeo’s transfer to Cardiff City has not made any difference to the club’s recruitment plans.

The right-sided defender signed a three-year contract with the Welsh club last week.

Romeo had been on a season-long loan at Portsmouth in the 2021-22 campaign. The terms of his move to Cardiff have not been disclosed by either club.

Asked if Romeo’s departure has changed transfer plans, Rowett told the South London Press: “It doesn’t change anything because we weren’t really planning to have him as part of the squad this season. We always knew that was likely one way or the other – whether it was permanent or a loan.

“We’ve got lots and lots of areas we need to strengthen. We need competition in both wing-back areas, we need competition in midfield with Maikel [Kieftenbeld] leaving and we certainly need players who can give us something extra in the forward areas. And depending what we get will dictate what areas we look at further down the window.

“What you don’t want to do is just go and get every single position you want, sometimes you want to leave a little bit of flexibility within that. We know at the moment we have got Lenny, Hutchy, Coops and Muzza who are four top, top players who can play in three positions. Lenny has got the flexibility to play in different positions and we have Alex Mitchell coming back. But we are relatively light in defensive numbers rather than options.

“The key this year is that we want to bring players in that can add competition but also push the levels forward and potentially be starters in the team and make us better. That’s the challenge every summer.

“We were looking at those areas. Mahlon hasn’t changed any one thing.

“It’s been quite well-documented previously that Mahlon has been quite keen to join Portsmouth last season and had spoken about having a fresh start. Cardiff is just an extension of that. He’s been a really good player for the football club but, like anything, you get to a point where players feel they need to move on.

“He knows Steve [Morison] at Cardiff, they played together, and it is a step back up to the Championship. It makes complete sense for us and it makes complete sense for him.

“We never want to stand in anyone’s way if they feel it is better for them to be elsewhere. That’s where we will always be as a football club, and should be.”