Millwall start transfer window with a bang – and boss hoping to add more in forward department

BY RICHARD CAWLEY
richard@slpmedia.co.uk

Millwall started their summer transfer window with a bang as they landed long-term target Kevin Nisbet – and Gary Rowett is hoping that isn’t the last of the forward additions.

The Lions paid a seven-figure sum for the 26-year-old Scottish international, who has signed a long-term contract.

Millwall have struck early in the market and confirmed Nisbet’s deal last Saturday – before the window officially opened for business on Wednesday.

The Lions had been in advanced talks with Hibernian to sign the Glaswegian in January only for the move to break down over complications with the medical.

But Millwall always intended to resurrect it again.

The Lions only had Tom Bradshaw as a recognised out-and-out striker after January, when Benik Afobe quit for Dubai’s Hatta Club, and Rowett did dabble with Andreas Voglsammer and Oliver Burke through the middle.

Asked if he expected another signing in that area of the pitch, Rowett told the South London Press: “I think we’ll always look to add there.

“It is no surprise we were looking to add in January and we didn’t get the extra striker we wanted.

“We have signed Kevin but we have lost the likes of Oli Burke.

“What we want is competition for places. Players performed really, really well last year and they have to come back and do exactly the same. The only way of guaranteeing that is lifting the quality of the squad. You raise that competition level and then people have to step up even more, which is what we need.

“We’re looking at all areas but I certainly wouldn’t be opposed to strengthening again in the forward areas.”

Nisbet scored 12 goals in 20 matches – 19 of those in the Scottish Premier – after returning from a cruciate knee injury in the middle of December.

But Rowett has not spent any time contemplating if things would have played out differently for the Lions, who missed out on a Championship play-off place on the final day of the season, if the switch had gone through at the start of 2023.

“There are reasons behind it (not happening) which are not for me to go into,” said the Lions boss.

“At the time I was disappointed, you feel he could’ve been the signing to make the difference at that point.

“But it is one of those things. I’ve been doing this job a fair while and I’m pretty quick to move on.

“It showed commitment from all parties to try and get something done again when the opportunity arose.

“He is a player who can play just behind a striker, behind two strikers, as one of two strikers and as a striker on his own. He is a very flexible forward who has got good mobility.

“It is an exciting signing for us.

“He has hunger, drive and determination to want to kick on again and show what he is all about in a different league.

“You’re always looking for those options to help you win a game and goalscoring, as we know, is probably the hardest thing to do.

“Kevin is a natural goalscorer. He has that ability to find half a yard and find the corners of the net.

“He will complement the players that we have got at the club at the moment.

“Bradders (Tom Bradshaw) was absolutely immense last season but to be the only real striker, in that role, at the club was a lot pressure on him and a lot on his shoulders, physically.”

PICTURES: MILLWALL FC