Millwall are interested in West Ham midfielder Andy Irving, reporter Alan Nixon has revealed on his Patreon.
Millwall have been touted as dark horses in the Championship promotion race, largely thanks to their improved transfer business and the work of manager Alex Neil.
The Lions are assembling a strong squad, and with less than a week until the window slams shut at 7pm on September 1st, work is still being done to try and strengthen Neil’s squad further.
Millwall boss Alex Neil
Image courtesy of: PAUL CHILDS/REUTERS.
It would appear a new central midfielder is on the radar at The Den, and according to reports, the Championship side are set to turn to arch rivals West Ham in the hunt for a new option.
Writing on his Patreon, reporter Alan Nixon has said that Millwall are keen on Hammers midfielder Andy Irving and are hopeful of getting a deal done for his services.
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West Ham are willing to let the Scotsman move on this summer, with a £3.5m price tag set. Nixon adds that Irving has turned down the chance to join big-spending Wrexham, who have been keen on continuing their squad revamp with a move for the Edinburgh native.
It is said that the Lions could match the offer made by the Red Dragons, or they could bring him in on an initial loan with a potential permanent deal at the end.
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What would Andy Irving bring to The Den?
Irving has played the best football of his career in Austria and Scotland, offering a dual threat of goals and assists from midfield.
West Ham United's Andy Irving comes on as a substitute
Image courtesy of: TONY O’BRIEN/REUTERS.
Millwall target Irving is a tall and well rounded midfielder, mainly operating in a box-to-box role. He can play further forward if given defensive support around him and has sat in a deeper role before too, but that doesn’t really get the best out of his game.
At 25, Irving still has another level to find with more game time than he has been getting at West Ham. His success in Austria and Scotland as a starting player makes for good reading, making for an intriguing target heading into the final stages of the summer transfer window.
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Andy Irving’s stats at Austria Klagenfurt and Hearts – via Transfermarkt
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A rare Millwall-West Ham transfer
As often is the case with arch rivals, transfers between Millwall and West Ham aren’t exactly common.
Way back in 2002, the Lions had a young Glen Johnson on loan from the Hammers, and Don Hutchinson made the move just under three years later too.
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As for players going from The Den to the East End, David Martin made the switch in 2019. Those three moves are the only such switches since the turn of the Millennium, so a swoop for Irving would certainly catch the eye.
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