Millwall are set to complete a move for Bradford City midfielder Jenson Metcalfe as they look to reshape their midfield for next season.
The Lions missed out on promotion through the playoffs and are already looking at new midfield options amid rumours that Barry Bannan may be on his way back to Sheffield Wednesday just six months after joining.
Neil Lands Metcalfe
Now, according to Football Insider’s Pete O’Rourke, Millwall have struck a deal to sign Bradford City midfielder Jenson Metcalfe, just a year after he arrived at Valley Parade on a permanent transfer.
Signed by the newly-promoted Bantams from Everton after a stellar season at Chesterfield, the 21-year-old immediately established himself as a regular in West Yorkshire alongside summer signing Max Power.
Playing in 41 of Bradford’s League One matches in which they achieved an unlikely top six finish, coming unstuck against eventual playoff winners Bolton Wanderers in the semi-finals.
Metcalfe is now set to head up to the Championship with Millwall, and will undergo a medical with the London club shortly, as reported by William Scott of the Southwark News.
Joe Crann has previously reported on his Wednesday Word Substack that Sheffield Wednesday were in talks with Millwall over Bannan, with the Owls now allowed to pay fees for transfers following the lifting of their embargoes by the EFL.
Alex Neil is in need of some new replacements in midfield this summer following the release of Massimo Luongo and the end of Will Smallbone’s loan deal, while there is still uncertainty as to whether Billy Mitchell will remain at the Den after turning down a contract proposal.
Step Up Deserved
Jenson Metcalfe has been a rising star since his first loan spell away from Everton’s academy, and now, via Chesterfield and Bradford City, looks destined to be on the doorstep of the Premier League with Millwall.
A rock in a Bantams side not tipped to do as well as they did in their first season back in League One, the 21-year-old partnered well with Max Power in the middle of the pitch and will be afforded that same opportunity with Alex Neil preferring a holding two in his formation at the Den.
Whether he is afforded any regular game time by the Championship club remains to be seen with stiff competition from Casper De Norre and the emergin Daniel Kelly remains to be seen, but Metcalfe will have a role to play in South East London.
Where Do Bradford Go Next?
Over the space of a couple of weeks, Bradford City have lost their midfield partnership of Max Power to Wigan Athletic, and now Jenson Metcalfe to Millwall, leaving plenty of questions as to where the club go now.
They have secured a deal for a more attacking midfielder in Barnsley’s Adam Phillips, but now, Graham Alexander’s top priority is finding two key replacements to his club captain and one of his rising stars.
One option could be to drop the more experienced Antoni Sarcevic into a deeper role to allow Phillips to shine alongside Bobby Pointon, but ideally he will need someone who is much more physical and battling to sit alongside him for the best chance of success.
While it is a blow to lose such a promising talent after just one season, it is likely that the transfer fee gained from a sale of Metcalfe will prove beneficial to building a well-rounded squad to challenge for promotion once again.
