‘We had to hang in there’ – Millwall boss Neil Harris makes Japhet Tanganga return admission

Neil Harris has admitted he was not always entirely confident that Japhet Tanganga would end up back at Millwall this summer.

The 25-year-old signed a long-term deal at The Den on Wednesday after becoming a free agent following his release from Tottenham Hotspur.

Tanganga excelled during his loan spell with the South Londoners in the second half of last season, making 18 appearances and quickly becoming a fans’ favourite.

He was linked with recently relegated Luton over the summer.

The Lions had been chasing a deal for Tanganga since his loan spell ended.

When asked if he was confident that Millwall had in the in re-signing the defender, Harris admitted: “No 

“All I can do is praise Japhet. 

“We spoke at least two or three times a week – we have a really open and strong relationship.

“There had been times were it looked like Japh might have gone somewhere seen as slightly better clubs with bigger levels than us – we had to hang in there.

“Our relationship with Japh has always been strong, positive and important in this.

“Ultimately he’s come because he loved his time here and wants to help us get better. 

“Also it feels like it’s a good home for him to be able to improve his game and show the world he can play a run of fixtures as well. 

“I wasn’t always confident in Japhet coming. It was probably a relief to get him over the line as much as anything.”