"Strange" - Pundit questions Millwall FC transfer link to ex-Crystal Palace player | OneFootball

Carlton Palmer exclusively told Football League World that Millwall's reported move for a retired defender made no sense

The transfer window may have closed over a week ago, but some clubs in the EFL are still keen to do business with free agents.

Space in Millwall’s 25-man Championship squad has seen the London club linked to James Tomkins, who has been without a club since departing Premier League Crystal Palace at the end of last season.

In January the 35-year-old confirmed that he had not “officially” retired, but was still waiting on offers to come his way.

Rumours suggest that Alex Neil is keen on adding experience to the Lions’ backline, with Tomkins clearly fitting the bill.

Aside from a brief loan spell at Derby County, Tomkins played his football in London, with lengthy spells at both West Ham United and Crystal Palace.

Tomkins would certainly bring experience with him if he was to arrive at the Den, having featured 289 times in the Premier League.

More pertinently to play-off chasing Millwall, the centre-back has also racked up just over a half century of Championship appearances, most of which came in West Ham’s promotion winning campaign in 2012/13.

Strong transfer window alleviates need for reinforcements

But Carlton Palmer believes there is nothing to the rumours, stating that he could not believe the link.

Speaking exclusively to Football League World, Palmer mused: “Rumours are circulating that Millwall and Alex Neil want defender James Tomkins to come out of retirement.

“Millwall have four wins on the bounce, beat Leeds in the FA Cup, only five points off the play-off places.

“They're going well under Alex Neil. I think this is way off the mark, I think it is pure speculation.

“I couldn’t understand why Alex Neil would want to bring James Tomkins to the football club.

“He’s got a very big squad now, he’s done a lot of business in the January transfer window.

“They brought in eight new players, they’ve backed him.

“Seven of them are permanent deals, one of them is a loan – Zak Stuge from Chelsea.

“So I don't see where this has come out, taking a player out of retirement.

"If he was going to do that, then he surely he would have done that earlier in the transfer window.”

Lack of fitness a major stumbling block

Palmer went on to stress how Tomkins’ lack of football since departing Selhurt Park on a free last summer was a major stumbling block for any deal.

Even before leaving the Eagles, Tomkins’ gametime was limited, with the Basildon-born defender featuring for just seven minutes of Crystal Palace’s 2023/24 Premier League campaign.

Tomkins would take time to get up to speed, lacking sharpness and match fitness, leading Palmer to label the rumour as nonsensical.

The pundit continued: “He’s 35 years of age, James Tomkins, he's been without a football club since the summer.

“So, it would seem to me to be strange to be looking at a player who has not had a club since the summer when we’re now past the January transfer window.

“It doesn’t make any sense what so ever.

“But again it’s just paper talk - I could be wide of the mark here.

“But Alex Neil knows what he is doing, and I can’t believe he’d bring in a player at this crucial part of the season, who has been without a club since the summer.

“It’s just pure paper talk.”