Millwall want to keep best players - Neil

Japhet Tanganga has been linked with a move away from Millwall

Millwall expect Japhet Tanganga and Mihailo Ivanovic to remain at the club this summer and are not looking to sell any of their current players, head coach Alex Neil has said.

Both players have been linked with moves away from the Championship club but Neil said he did not pay too much attention to the speculation.

George Saville, George Honeyman, Aaron Connolly and Murray Wallace have departed the club so far in the off-season.

Josh Coburn and Zak Sturge's loan moves from Middlesbrough and Chelsea respectively have been made permanent, while the Lions have also signed goalkeeper Max Crocombe from Burton Albion.

When asked if Tanganga, who made 43 appearances in all competitions for Millwall last season, would still be at the club for their Championship opener at Norwich City on Saturday, 9 August, Neil said "I hope so".

"I don't think there's anything at the moment that suggests otherwise for us.

"I know there's a lot of speculation, as there always is, whether it be Japhet, or Mihailo [Ivanovic] or anybody else, there's little bits that are doing the rounds," he told BBC Radio London.

"But we're focused on trying to be the best version of ourselves in terms of trying to retain our best players.

"We're not naïve. We're not actively looking to sell anyone. We want to grow and build on this season.

"But equally, if somebody comes in with offers that are way beyond what we would maybe have on a valuation of a player, then certain decisions may well get made."

Sturge a 'really good young and upcoming left-back'

Zak Sturge made five appearances on loan at Millwall last season

Sturge, 21, made five appearances on loan from Chelsea at the back end of last season.

He has signed a "long-term" contract and Neil believes he can provide strong competition with Joe Bryan at left-back.

"He broke in towards the tail end of last year and I think with every game he played he gained confidence, he gained understanding," Neil said.

"He's good on the ball, he's athletic, he's got a good manner about him – he's a nice lad – he trains hard.

"I think what we'll try and do is give him more game exposure and get more game understanding and experience into him. And I think when he puts those bits together then we're hopeful we've got a really good young and upcoming left-back."

Millwall signed Coburn in a club-record deal from Boro after the striker formed a strong partnership with Ivanovic and scored five goals in 21 games last season.

"He's got different qualities and strengths to all the other forwards we've got. He's more of a target, he can take the ball on, he can score a goal, he can run," Neil said.

Josh Coburn scored five goals on loan at Millwall before the club signed him on a permanent contract for a 'club record' fee

"Our job is to try and help him put his game together in terms of his link-up [play], his timing of his runs, his effectiveness in front of goal, and I think when he does that he'll be a real force to be reckoned with in the Championship."

Neil said Millwall planned to make further signings before the season kicks off next month.

He warned all players would need to earn their place in the team, regardless of their potential or how much money had been paid to bring them to the club.

"It's a 50:50 relationship. We will spend a lot of time trying to develop and help you, we'll teach you in terms of tactics and work on your technique. And the other 50% has got to come from them," he added.

"Nobody gets a free ride. Nobody gets in the team because we've signed you to try to make you better.

"Your job is to turn up every day, you perform, you try as hard you can. That doesn't necessarily mean that you're going to play well every game, but what we're not going to do is bring you in and, if you play one or two bad games, discard you."

Alex Neil was appointed Millwall head coach on a "long-term" contract in December 2024