Manager Neil Harris has confirmed that yesterday Millwall received an offer from Rotherham United for top scorer Lee Gregory – but it was dismissed.
With the former non league 27 year old scoring 27 goals for us last season in our almost promotion campaign from League One, Harris and the club clearly want to keep him with us, but there had been plenty of speculation that clubs like Rotherham, and even Celtic, were interested in taking him off our hands.
Speaking to the South London Press to confirm the £1.2million offer had come in, he explained that he couldn’t absolutely guarantee the player would be here at the start of the campaign but Millwall would be doing all they could to ensure he was.
Harris also repeated that Gregory had not handed in an official written transfer request as had been reported by the media the other week.
‘Rotherham have bid for Lee, who had an exceptional season last year. There is going to be interest in our players, because we have got very good ones. But the club have turned it down. And just as importantly – more importantly – we have 100 per cent not received any transfer request from Lee Gregory. In these instances things get out in the press that aren`t always true. It`s not nice for anyone, but Lee is a senior player and knows that sometimes things like that happen.’
Harris went on to say.
‘Lee is a boy who wants to play at the best level he can. He is happy playing for us. I had an excellent relationship with Lee last year and found a way to get the best out of him. I`d like that to continue next season. Lee is focused and training really well. We`ve had some excellent sessions in Portugal and we are focusing on our preparation and day-to-day business.’
With former manager Ian Holloway being convinced to pay Halifax Town £250,000 for him in the summer of 2014, clearly that was money extremely well spent given his goals for us and the sums that clubs are prepared to pay to take him off our hands, so Harris went on to say that with a further 12 month option in our favour it does increase our position of strength when bids come in because he’s not out of contract next summer, but ultimately you should never say never in the game.
‘I don`t think you can guarantee anyone is anywhere at the start of the season if someone really wants someone. Look at Paul Pogba – there is talk he is going for £100m to Manchester United and they let him go for nothing. I want Lee to stay as part of our squad but every player in the modern game has a value. Our players will be no different.’
With news of Rotherham’s bid being leaked to the press, he was also asked that question and he admitted whilst you’d rather do things privately – leaks are also part of the modern game with the money involved.
‘You always want your business to be done in private, we`ve done that ourselves over the course of the summer. We`ve managed to keep most things like that and it is the way I think it should be done. But it is not always the case. There are a lot of intermediaries who get involved in football these days who have a lot to say for themselves. You have to accept it is part and parcel. It`s quite simple, Lee is a top player and a great lad. He has worked his socks off every day so far in pre-season. We need to carry on facing the job in hand.’
Vital Millwall on:
