Millwall star gets Premier League 'interest' as Man Utd 'firmly' decide on Sunderland transfer

The weekend brought another thrilling weekend of Championship action with Millwall and QPR facing off in a London derby. Two first-half goals saw the two sides drew at Loftus Road, and both the Lions and the Hoops are still searching for their second win of the campaign.

Elsewhere, the Championship claimed another managerial victim over the weekend with Cardiff City sacking Erol Bulut due to a disastrous start. As the Bluebirds search for a new manager, we have rounded up all the latest news surrounding the Championship clubs.

Esse ‘interest’

Crystal Palace continue to be linked with a move for Millwall talent Romain Esse. The 19-year-old is regularly being linked with a move to the top-flight at this point, and Alan Nixon has reported on his Patreon page that Palace are pushing for a deal.

Fortunately for Millwall, though, Esse penned a new deal earlier this month. “We all talk about the model that Jimmy wants to create and Romain becomes a huge part of that,” Lions boss Harris told the South London Press. “Alfie Massey is a huge part of that. Aidomo [Emakhu] and Dan Kelly – they’re huge parts.

“Femi Azeez came in as a very young man with hope about his potential. Romain signing is hugely important for us. He has been in our system for a number of years and there has been a lot of work that has gone into Romain.

“In particular Scott Fitzgerald (academy boss) takes a lot of credit for that. The club identified that last year. Gary [Rowett] and Joe [Edwards] played their part in helping his development. All I said in the summer to Romain and his father was that: ‘You’ll play for me. I want him to progress. I want him to be a part for our team and our football club and help him on his pathway’.

“He’s representing England U20s Elite squad at the moment, and hopefully, he will progress into the U21s in time. His performances since the start of pre-season have just got better and better. He was exceptional against Sheffield Wednesday, especially when we got in front, and the confidence went around the ground – he really excelled. He trains like that every day. There are going to be highs and lows with Romain because he’s such a young player, but his potential is huge.

Cardiff eye rival boss

Cardiff City are said to be interested in appointing highly rated Oxford United manager Des Buckingham to replace Bulut, hoping to bring in a head coach who employs a more progressive style of play. That’s according to Football Insider.

Bulut was criticised for his negative tactics during his time with the Bluebirds, while Buckingham has a very different reputation, guiding the U’s to the Championship and with an attractive brand of football. Cardiff would have to pay compensation to make the deal happen, though, and they may yet go with a more experienced option given the risk of getting stuck in a relegtion battle following their disappointing start.

Rigg links

Sunderland are reportedly braced for interest in star talent Chris Rigg, who is attracting attention from a number of the Premier League big boys. According to HITC, United ‘firmly believe’ they need to sign Rigg to ensure they don’t miss out on the Championship’s next big thing.

The 17-year-old has already made 27 league appearances for the Black Cats, with the attacking midfielder penning a professional contract with the club back in July. A number of German clubs, including Borussia Dortmund and Bayern Munich are also said to be interested in a deal.