Millwall owner played vital role as he sanctioned extra spending for Liverpool winger’s Den loan move

Gary Rowett has expressed his gratitude to Millwall owner John Berylson for freeing up more cash to fund Sheyi Ojo’s loan move from Liverpool.

The 24-year-old attacker signed for the Lions on transfer deadline day.

Rowett had previously made it clear that the South London club needed to balance the books with outgoings before any more ins could happen.

But Berylson gave the green light for Millwall to proceed with a deal for Ojo, who spent last season on loan at Cardiff City, before Portsmouth made a breakthrough in talks to take right-back Mahlon Romeo on a temporary basis.

Midfielder Ben Thompson and Icelandic striker Jon Dadi Bodvarsson, two other potential exits in the summer transfer window, ended up staying in SE16.

“Once again I’m thankful to John,” Rowett told the South London Press. “Because at that point of doing it [the Ojo deal] we didn’t have any movement the other way, as we had perhaps anticipated.

“John had to fund it again, that is the truth. He has done that a number of times for the club, to try and see us improve.”

Ojo scored five goals and got seven assists for Cardiff last season, making 42 appearances.

Former Millwall boss Neil Harris took him to the Welsh side. Current Lions number two Adam Barrett spoke to Harris’ long-term assistant David Livermore about Ojo.

“It was good to get a view from a coaching perspective and in terms of character – because that is important,” said Rowett. “I didn’t realise he knows the likes of Benik [Afobe], Jed [Wallace] and Sav [George Saville] from Wolves. That’s an added bonus.

“I’ve had good reports from the people who have worked with him. He was keen to come and play for us

“I’ve watched a lot of Sheyi and it hasn’t come up to sign him before now – he has probably just been out of reach; he’s gone to Wolves, who were a very, very strong team in this division and he went to Cardiff, again a little further than we could go to money-wise.

“He fits the profile of the type of player I like, in terms of his pace, power and running ability.

“You can’t have enough players in the group that can open up tight games with that ability to break defensive lines and break tight defensive units.

“We haven’t got a lot of that blistering pace in our group and Sheyi has got that ability to beat people one-v-one. When Mason [Bennett] is back [from injury] it just adds in those areas.

“We think he is a little bit different to what we have already got.”

Millwall brought in six players in the latest transfer window.

“People tend to view it, to a certain degree, on the last day – how many you do,” said Rowett. “That’s normal – people get caught up in it and are almost disappointed if a club doesn’t do two, three or four deals on the last day.

“I’m really pleased we got Scott Malone and George Long under our belt quite early and then the business we’ve done since then has been good.

“I don’t think we’ve seen the best of that within the team; we’ve still got some players looking for their best fitness, for differing reasons, and match sharpness.

“I’m looking forward to seeing the team gel.”