Millwall manager Gary Rowett ‘expects’ to see Zian Flemming play Premier League football sooner rather than later after Nottingham Forest failed to sign the Dutchman, speaking to London News Online.
Flemming, a £1.7 million summer signing from Fortuna Sittard, may have taken some by surprise since arriving in the capital.
But anyone who know Flemming from his time in the Eredivisie would have told you that, in the former Ajax starlet, Millwall had snapped up a player capable of filling Jed Wallace’s boots for a fraction of the fee players of his talent usually go for.
At the risk of tooting our own horn, we put Flemming at second place while ranking the Championship’s 10 most exciting newcomers last year. A prolific goalscorer from central midfield at Fortuna, Flemming has taken to English football like the proverbial duck to water; a stylish solo goal during Saturday’s 2-2 draw with Luton Town his 12th in Millwall colours already.
Is former Nottingham Forest target Zian Flemming going right to the top?
“He’s been such a good player,” Rowett smiles. “Such an intelligent player. You can tell him, and he gets it. He can action those instructions really well on the pitch.
“In terms of value for money, he would have to be right up there (with my best ever signings). Zian is a good player. He’s a very good player. For the price we paid for him, it’s a snip.
“He’s shown he’s got the character, he’s got the physicality, and that bit of game-changing quality. I’m really pleased with him.”
Perennial overachievers Millwall are currently fifth in the table, just three points off Michael Carrick’s Middlesbrough in third. Even if The Lions do fall short, Rowett believes it is only a matter of time before Flemming is strutting his stuff in the division above; Premier League outfit Nottingham Forest having made a number of offers 12 months before Millwall got their man.
“He’s the sort of player I’d expect to see there (in the top-flight),” Rowett says.
“We are working very hard to see if he can get there with us. But, either way, I think he has got the quality to get there.”
Nottingham Forest, still under the stewardship of Chris Hughton at the time, saw three separate bids rejected by Fortuna Sittard during the summer of 2021; much to Flemming’s frustration.
“I honestly indicated that I wanted to go there” Flemming told Voetbal Primeur.
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