Millwall advance deal to sign versatile League One defender to replace Japhet Tanganga as Alex Neil issues transfer update

Millwall are set to lose Japhet Tanganga before the transfer window closes in the coming week. It has been a strong start from Alex Neil’s men, who are being tipped for another playoff push this season, with two wins and a defeat under their belt so far.

Saturday saw them rub salt into the wounds of Sheffield United by winning 1-0 at Bramall Lane, leaving the Blades with three straight defeats to start the season. But the Yorkshire club are still in the process of adding new weapons for new boss Ruben Selles, and it looks as though their next signing will be a Millwall player.

Tanganga looks to be heading to the South Yorkshire, and the defender was left out of the game against the Blades due a decision taken by Neil owing the the circumstances that would have seen the defender play against a team he is in the process of joining.

Neil explained to Southwark News after the game: “What I can tell you about Japhet is, Japhet, since I’ve been here, has been nothing but a consummate professional. At no point did Japhet tell me or anybody else that he didn’t want play today. So Japhet wanted to play the game. He was available to play the game.

“The decision was made by me, after I spoke to Jimmy, the owner, and Steve Gallen, the director of football, about what we wanted to do with this. What I felt today was, it was better to take him out of the firing line and go with the guys who are obviously in a good mental space and ready to play. But I want to make it clear again, Japhet at no stage refused to play today, at any point. In fact, if anything, it was the opposite, and I made a decision for him.”

Neil added on the transfer itself: “The fact that I took him out of the game, obviously, things have moved on. As far as I know, things are not at a conclusion stage just now. I had a good chat with Japhet earlier today. So we’ll see what transpires over the next couple of days.”

Millwall find a replacement for Tanganga, and one player they consider is former Aston Villa star Calum Chambers. The defender joined Cardiff City this time last year and wound up being relegated with the Bluebirds.

He is expected to leave this summer, being made club captain to boot after the departure of long-serving favourite Joe Ralls. Frustratingly for Chambers, though, he has been kept out of the starting XI for the most part by young impressive defender Dylan Lawlor and Will Fish, who joined the Welsh club from Manchester United last season.

Chambers has come off the bench, but he has largely played at full-back when coming on, aiding Cardiff’s excellent start that has seen them take top spot at this early stage. In fact, the Bluebirds have only conceded one goal in their first five games, and that was a penalty, so until that defensive record starts to change, manager Brian Barry-Murphy is not likely to make changes to his young defence.

Chambers is thinking he has more of a chance of playing elsewhere, and he is a player who can comfortably play at Championship level, with last season not representative of his ability, given Cardiff were poorly managed by both full-time managers they had during the campaign.

Neil want a centre-back who can play with the ball at his feet, and Chambers certainly fits that category, also able to play in holding midfield and at full-back. The former Arsenal man is also likely available for an affordable fee, too, given Cardiff signed him for free.