Millwall should risk signing Neymar-esque Tottenham talent on loan - opinion

Millwall may have suffered heartbreak on the final day of the Championship season when missing out on a play-off place but there remains an air of optimism at The Den ahead of the 2025/26 campaign.

Alex Neil has settled into life in London with aplomb and created a Lions side capable of picking up big results in a matter of months. The Scotsman and the club will now turn attention to the summer transfer window.

If Millwall are looking to mount a play-off push next season and target a debut in the Premier League then they must add players with that something special to get them there. One of those could be Tottenham Hotspur youngster Mikey Moore.

Tottenham Hotspur teenager compared to Neymar

The 17-year-old made his Spurs debut more than a year ago, becoming the youngest Tottenham Hotspur player to feature in the Premier League at 16 years old. Moore has gone on to be a regular in Ange Postecoglou’s first team squad despite not cementing a place in the starting XI.

The midfielder, who is a product of the youth academy at Tottenham Hotspur, has made 21 appearances for the club with one goal and two assists. His goal came in a 1-0 win over Elfsborg in January and Moore could be part of the Spurs team that lifts the Europa League trophy this week.

James Maddison heaped praise on Moore in October when speaking to TNT Sports following a 1-0 win over AZ Alkmaar, a match in which the teenager played 87 minutes. Maddison said: "I thought we had Neymar on the left wing! He is fearless, [he has] that young, fearless mentality. He's a brilliant lad, he has bags of ability. I will hopefully help him with wise words but he has all the ability and well done to him."

Postecoglou was keen not to put too much pressure on the rising star but was confident that the player’s feet are firmly on the ground. After that AZ Alkmaar game, the Aussie said: "I think we all understand with young players, you have to be careful but after the game, I don't get the sense that that's going to affect Mikey at all. There's no denying he was great last night. I thought he was great the whole game. It's exciting for us."

Millwall should swoop for Mikey Moore loan deal

There’s no doubt over Moore’s potential and his ability to make something happen in midfield - his best games have come against smaller European sides who may be more akin to the quality of the Championship. There remain questions over whether he is ready to play in the Premier League every week.

The teenager started the 2-0 defeat to Aston Villa last week with Postecoglou rotating his team but was rated just 5/10 for his performance. Football.London claimed that the player ‘didn’t produce enough’ and ‘has the ability to take people on but seemed reluctant to do it’. Meanwhile, The Standard added that he ‘looks reluctant to take risks at this level’.

Moore is clearly a player in need of experience away from the Premier League. Tottenham Hotspur won’t sell the youngster but Millwall should move to bring the midfielder in on loan. The star also has links to Millwall with family believed to be fans of the club, which could also help Neil in persuading the teenager to come find that missing confidence at a slightly lower level.

While those 5/10 reviews and questions over the player’s character hint at some risk, recruiting Moore on a temporary basis is surely worth the punt for Millwall. The teenager is exciting, has Premier League experience and would arrive with a point to prove.

In other news, QPR and Millwall transfer target becomes free agent as R's also linked with 20-goal EFL bagsman.