Millwall set to secure last gasp contract agreement as deal officially expires

Millwall are set to act late to prevent one of their players becoming a free agent this summer. Clubs up and down the country will lose players as of midnight this morning, with contracts officially expiring at the end of June 30.

Like every club, the Lions had a handful of players out of contract, and Alex Neil was keen to keep some, while he was happy to offload others, as is always the case, especially below the Premier League where we typically see a bigger turnover of players the lower the division.

One player who was on his way towards The Den’s exit door was goalkeeper George Evans, whose contract officially expired on June 30, but Millwall have moved late in a bid to strike a deal. According to Southwark News, Evans is now set to sign a new long-term deal to keep him at the club for years to come.

The 20-year-old has made five senior appearances to date after being brought into Neil’s first team plans on the back of injury issues suffered by Lukas Jensen and Liam Roberts. Evans didn’t sign a professional deal until 2023, but it was a two-year deal. meaning Millwall have been left with a decision this summer.

The decision has been to renew the deal, and Neil will be pleased. The Lions boss has previously said of the young keeper: “George is quite a relaxed character. He’s very much viewed it as a great opportunity rather than being put under pressure if you like. I think that our outlook and our expectancy, from him, is that he’s a good young goalkeeper, and go and do the best you can. It really is as simple as that.

“There’s no more pressure than that being put upon him. He knows what his job is. He can kick the ball well, he’s a good shot stopper, he understands that he needs to communicate with his back line and try to be dominant behind them, so that he’s vocal and they can hear him. I thought in the second half the other day, was the most relaxed and the more experienced [I’ve seen from him] in respect to just dealing with scenarios, and that’s only going to improve as time goes on.”

Neil also said after a fine performance against Swansea in the spring: “In those type of matches, you’re going to need your goalkeeper to make a save or two. Young George is in his third game, his second clean sheet in the bounce, and he’s came up trumps when we needed him, with two or three saves in and around areas that could have changed the complexion of the game.

“When you’re a young player, you get given opportunities normally through either somebody getting injured or suspension or whatever, and you get a chance because there’s a space available. That was the same as my career. The club I was at went into administration, so a lot of players were getting let go, and that’s the only reason I got a game. But from there, you’ve got to then prove your worth. And I thought today in particular George certainly did that.”

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