Millwall finished the 2021/22 Championship season in 9th place of the table, after what was another impressive showing from Gary Rowett’s side.
Millwall endured a slow start to the campaign just concluded. But they found some form ahead of the season finale and went into the last game of the campaign with a chance of securing a place in the play-offs.
It wasn’t to be for the Lions, but Rowett and his side should head into the summer optimistic about going one better next time round.
With Millwall looking set to say goodbye to a handful of players this summer, including talisman Jed Wallace, Rowett may even have one eye on his players whose contracts expire next summer too.
According to Transfermarkt, the seven Millwall players out of contract in 2023 are Shaun Hutchinson, Jake Cooper, Mason Bennett, Scott Malone, George Long, Bartosz Bialkowski and George Evans.
There’s some standout names on that list in Cooper, Bennett and Bialkowski – Bennett signed a long-term deal with Millwall last year but the length of which was undisclosed.
Millwall have a solid defence in place, with the likes of Cooper and Murray Wallace at the back along with Bialkowski who continues to impress.
Rowett will surely be weary of letting the likes of Cooper and Bialkowski in particular near the end of their deals, so renewing their stays could be something that the club looks into this summer.
Malone is another versatile player too who performed well for Rowett last season, but at 31 years old he may be one who has to prove his worth again next season to earn an extended deal.
As for the likes of Hutchinson and Evans, they’ve both run into injury problems this year and so they too may be playing for their future next season, with Long a difficult one to predict – Rowett speaks highly of the goalkeeper and he could yet be seen as Bialkowski’s successor should the Pole move on after the 2022/23 campaign.
Millwall certainly have a lot of work to do this summer, with fans ever hopeful of a top-six finish ahead of the next campaign.
