Millwall boss sends 'mindful' warning as Arsenal consider move for Sheffield Wednesday midfielder

The Championship season is about to return as the internationals give way until March. We now enter the busiest period of the season, with games set to stack up over the course of the festive period.

Millwall return to action against leaders Sunderland this weekend, while QPR face Stoke City as they look to climb off the bottom of the table. In the meantime, we have rounded up all the latest news and transfer rumours surrounding the second tier.

Harris on returning duo

Millwall boss Neil Harris has warned that the Lions must be careful with recovering stars Billy Mitchell and Adam Mayor “He’s getting there,” Harris told Southwark News. “We have to remember with Billy, his last appearance for the football club was on May the fourth at Swansea last season. Adam is the same. Adam and Billy are going really, really well. Adam is in front of Billy match-minutes wise. But they’re going really well.

“If you look at what the players would be playing during the course of the preseason, the lads would build up from 30 minutes to 45 to 60 to 75 to 90 and possibly a repetitive appearance after that. We have to make sure we get it right with these lads. As much as you want players available, you also don’t want anyone to break down and lose them over a period. We’ll be mindful with them.

“If needs must, at times you have to put players in slightly earlier, like Tom Bradshaw on the weekend. It was important that Tom impacted the pitch for 45 minutes. So sometimes your hand is forced a little bit. If my hand is not forced with Billy and Adam then we’ll be as patient as we possibly can be. But Billy obviously was so influential at the end of last season in a really positive run for us that would be great to have him available sooner rather than later.”

Cardiff managerial situation

Cardiff City interim boss Omar Riza has held talks with club owner Vincent Tan, and he says he will remain in charge for now. “I’m still interim – anything can happen between now and [January],” he told WalesOnline. “If you don’t get a good result or a couple of bad results, potentially someone else can come in.

“I just have to keep doing what I’m doing. The team has to keep fighting, they are working so hard for me. Players have put it on record that they want me here. Fans (opinions) have gone from sort of 20% to 80%. So we are in the right direction, it’s just that pressure now of winning the next block of games and kicking on from there.”

Charles links

Arsenal are being linked with a surprise move for Sheffield Wednesday loanee Shea Charles. Charles is on loan from Southampton, making 12 league appearances so far and scoring once from midfield.

Fichajes say Arsenal are set to pivot to bringing in talented young players, and the 21-year-old is said to fit the bill. There has been talk that Southampton could bring Charles back in January, and for who long may be unclear if Arsenal and others are indeed interested.