What Premier League star has already said about Millwall transfer

Last month, Millwall appeared to have a permanent deal for Tottenham Hotspur defender Japhet Tanganga wrapped up but it now appears that the 25-year-old is considering all his options before committing to a return to The Den.

The Spurs man was a revelation under Neil Harris during his short loan spell at Millwall over the back end of the Championship campaign. Tanganga was a standout star in the side as he made 18 league appearances in the team's relegation fight.

The player also bagged two vital goals for the team, against Southampton and Birmingham City, quickly making him a fan favourite. In May, reports suggested that Millwall had agreed a transfer with Spurs for Tanganga and that discussions with the player had begun.

It was thought there would be few hurdles in convincing the star to return to work with Harris but no contract was signed and Tanganga was subsequently released by Tottenham Hotspur. He is now a free agent and weighing up all offers - newly promoted Premier League side Ipswich Town are one of the clubs linked.

LondonWorld looks at what Tanganga said before leaving Millwall at the end of the season, which might provide further clues on his current process. Speaking about his future earlier this year, the player said: “My focus is to build on from my spell at Millwall, with the number of games I played. you want to be in a position where you’re playing week in, week out, so whether that’s at Spurs or somewhere else, that is something that needs to be discussed in the future and we’ll see where we go from there.”

Clearly, playing time is of huge importance to Tanganga, which could play in the favour of a Championship outfit such as Millwall over a Premier League side with greater competition.

The player continued: “It’s been very important to have a consistent run of games because when you’re not fit, you start doubting yourself, so not only for others to see that I can play consistently, but also for myself. With the injuries you start doubting yourself and start thinking, can I play as regularly without my body breaking down?

“But thankfully, that hasn’t happened, and I’ve shown that I can do it, I just needed time for my body to adjust, and for me to learn my body. Now, hopefully I can kick on and play more than I’ve played at Millwall. Maybe it’s 30 games in a season or 40 games in a season.”

Before his release, Tanganga had also shared his excitement to work under Ange Postecoglou with football.london, suggesting he would have been open to competing for a place in the side. The Australian's brand of football appeared to be of particular appeal.

The defender said: "Yes, I am looking forward to working with Ange. Before I came out on loan to Germany, I was welcomed by him in pre-season and obviously I saw his ideas and did like them. Everyone can see that he's very attack-minded, likes to keep the ball, and he's doing well, so I'm looking forward to seeing his ideas and being a part of it."