Millwall club record signing Neghli set for debut as boss Neil throws down challenge to his squad

Camiel Neghli could be set for a Millwall debut at Leeds United today – but head coach Alex Neil has warned all of his new recruits they will not just walk into his starting line-up.

The Lions splashed a club record fee to sign the 23-year-old winger from Sparta Rotterdam a week ago.

Millwall made eight signings in the latest transfer window, including deadline day deals to bring striker Zak Lovelace back from Rangers as well as taking Chelsea left-back Zak Sturge on loan.

But Neil has made it clear that the new players will need to earn their spots.

The Scot said: “The one thing I want to make clear is that no player has been promised anything.

“No player has been promised that they will be in the first team – everything we do will be based on merit.

“It will be based on how you perform, train or play. If you do well enough, you’ll get opportunities. If you don’t, there will be guys ahead of you. That’s how football works.”

Millwall’s focus has been on bringing down the average age of their squad and none of the new additions are older than Aaron Connolly, who recently turned 25. The rest are 23 or under.

“If you look at the dynamics of our squad, we have quite a senior squad,” said Neil. “That’s the catalyst. If we were a really younger squad, I would presume we would have signed some more experienced players.

“It’s about bringing some younger players in and trying to create assets. I think, as well, that when you’ve had the success we’ve had with Romain (Esse), in terms of selling him on for such big money, the club is looking at that and thinking there is definitely work to be done in that respect – creating more assets and potentially getting bigger transfer fees.

“What you want to try to do is come out of the window in a stronger position than when you went into it. That’s obviously difficult when you’re going to sell someone such as Romain, who is a very good player.

“What we have done is cover those spots off in the wider areas, in particular.

“We have a volume of players – because we’re not going to buy someone for £14.5million to replace Romain like for like.

“Everybody knows the strategy of the club. We have younger assets in the squad who can hopefully develop and become top players.

“What we don’t want to do is put pressure on them – some of those players are not for the here and now. It doesn’t mean in a couple of weeks’ time that they’re not going to be featuring – they may well do – but that will be down to them.

“If you look at the Ra’ees (Bangura-Williams) scenario, he’s probably the perfect example. I don’t think Ra’ees, or anybody, would have thought he would be playing first-team football like he has done – but that’s based around how he’s trained and played.

“The new boys who have come in, the onus is on them to do the same.”

There had been speculation that Sheffield United could move for Lions centre-back Japhet Tanganga. Instead the Blades ended up signing Rob Holding on loan from Crystal Palace.

Asked about if there was interest in Tanganga, who signed on a permanent basis in the summer after his contract at Tottenham expired, Neil said: “He’s been great, but there was no discussion between me and Japhet surrounding any transfer.

“There was nothing to talk about. We didn’t get any formal offer from any club.”

With Femi Azeez returning to full training, along with Josh Coburn and Aidomo Emakhu stepping up their returns from injury as well, Neil has a selection headache.

But at least it is not about trying to fill his matchday squad and instead about who doesn’t make the starting line-up or bench. Neil said: “Sometimes it’s easier, in that sense, because there is not that anxiety for players whether they’re going to be in the squad or not.

“The simple fact is that I can only pick 11 players. Whatever 11 I pick, I’ll have people saying: ‘Why is he not playing? Why is he not playing and why is he not playing?’

“My question is always the same: ‘Who are you dropping out?’