"It’s a no-risk deal" - Millwall FC lauded for capitalising on Sunderland AFC decision | OneFootball

The former Brighton man signed for the Lions last month, and he has been an exciting addition.

This article is part of Football League World's 'Terrace Talk' series, which provides personal opinions from our FLW Fan Pundits regarding the latest breaking news, teams, players, managers, potential signings and more...

Millwall's season has very much been in two parts, and after the lows of the winter when it looked as though a play-off push had come to an end, an upturn in form has seen them make strides back towards the top six.

The Lions are currently four points off West Bromwich Albion, who occupy the final play-off place, despite being in 13th.

Alex Neil's side have finally clicked under the former Norwich City boss, and a run of straight wins in the Championship has seen any relegation threat removed, and replaced by the hopes of finishing in the play-offs.

Millwall had an excellent January transfer window, despite losing Romaine Esse to Crystal Palace, and the addition of Aaron Connolly from Sunderland is already paying off.

Connolly praised for early impact at The Den

The ex-Brighton & Hove Albion youngster had only moved to the Stadium of Light in the summer, but he failed to crack the starting XI, and a move away looked likely.

Therefore, the departure of Tom Bradshaw to Oxford United offered the Lions the perfect chance to bring in a new striker and the 25-year-old has proven to be a shrewd signing so far.

Football League World has asked their Millwall Fan Pundit, Lucas Ball, if he believes the decision to bring Connolly to the club has been a masterstroke.

He told FLW: "Obviously, he had some issues off the pitch in his personal life, which he seems to have battled back really well from so fair play to him and, hopefully, he carries on the right path.

"I think on a short-term deal it’s a no-risk deal for us. He had a decent season at Hull last year, he didn't quite hit the heights with Sunderland this season, but he's got that bit of grit. He likes to wind people up again, and he seems to fit in with Millwall really nicely.

"He's going to be a bit of an annoyance for the opposition on the pitch at times, but he seems to fit in with us really nicely. He seems to enjoy being part of the club so far, and he's showing his talent."

Lucas continued: "He's mainly been playing on the left, but he's got the ability to do that, and he's looked quite nice at times when he's cut in from the left-hand side to try and get shots off at goal or come in and work at opportunities in other ways.

"He won the penalty against Luton, which he then took, and it was a very poor penalty, but he's looked lively throughout. He's wanted to get stuck in, and he's not been afraid to do the dirty defensive side of the game as well.

"As far as I’m aware, he's only signed until the summer, so if he does continue to do that in the next couple of months, then hopefully, we can tie him down to a longer deal."

Connolly will want to repay Millwall's faith more regularly

Connolly has struggled off the pitch in recent years, and he bravely opened up on his battle with alcohol addiction in the summer.

He burst onto the scene with Brighton in 2019, but injuries meant that it was difficult to maintain his form and he eventually left the Seagulls for Hull City.

However, this fresh start at The Den could prove to be the best move for the forward, with a lack of pressure due to the club's current league position in comparison to Sunderland's.

He has already scored his first goal in Millwall colours, and has picked up an assist as the Lions have climbed back towards the play-off spots. If he can keep on top of his fitness, then there is no doubt that the South London club have an incredibly deadly finisher on their hands, and he could prove to be one of the signings of the season.