Millwall have received an approach for winger Romain Esse from Premier League outfit Crystal Palace, according to South London Press.
The 19-year-old has emerged as the Lions’ biggest asset haven risen through their ranks in recent years. He has been an ever-present this season, starting all-but-one Championship game, scoring four goals in the process.
It is this form which helped the second tier club briefly flirt with the play-off places in November. However, a run of one win in their last 11 games has seen them settle in 14th, 10 points off the top six.
This has seen him catch the eye of teams in the Premier League, with Crystal Palace the latest to express an interest. The Eagles are known for plucking players from the EFL, having acquired the likes of Adam Wharton, Michael Olise and Eberechi Eze from the EFL in recent years.
Esse is currently tied down to a ‘multi-year’ contract with Millwall, having signed fresh terms last August.
Approach Received
According to the report, Palace have approached Millwall having watched the teenager on a number of occasions this season. It is said that he has now emerged as a ‘priority signing’ this month.
It is also claimed that Esse does possess a release clause in his current deal, although it is unknown what the trigger point is or whether that comes into play this month or in the summer.
The England under-20 international isn’t the only winger on Palace’s radar. They have also seen a £12 million + £3 million in add-ons bid rejected for Ben Doaks, who is currently on loan with Middlesbrough.
Writer’s View
Millwall will no doubt do all they can to keep Esse at the club this month, although it could be that they receive an offer they can’t refuse. It will be interesting to see when his release clause does come into play though. If it isn’t until the summer, cashing in now may be the better option as they could secure a bigger fee than at the end of the season. With neither promotion or relegation likely this season, this would enable them to reinvest the funds back into the playing squad before launching a fresh pursuit on the top six next season.
