Millwall have agreed a deal to sign former Japhet Tanganga on a free transfer following the expiration of his Tottenham Hotspur contract, according to Dharmesh Sheth.
Tanganga, who spent the second half of last season on loan at The Den, has been linked with a return to the Championship club since he was officially released by Spurs last month. The 25-year-old has now agreed to commit permanently to the club from South-East London and will have a medical on Monday.
The former England U21 international started 17 times for Neil Harris’ side as he became a key part of their eventual comfortable Championship survival. He also added the first two goals of his senior career, including a crucial 90th minute winner vs relegation rivals Birmingham City in early Match.
Tanganga made 50 appearances for Tottenham after breaking through in 2019 under Jose Mourinho but has since seen his minutes reduced season by season. It was then confirmed that the club would not trigger a one-year extension to his contract this summer and he would be allowed to leave in the hope of finding more regular football.
He is therefore set to become Millwall’s first summer signing as they look to build on last season’s 13th placed finish. Tanganga would be a likely candidate to start alongside Millwall stalwart Jake Cooper in the centre of defence, which would reunite a partnership which brought reasonable success towards the end of the 2023/24 campaign.
There is however one small caveat to the transfer in that Tanganga will be unavailable for the Lions’ opening game of the new campaign against Watford after he was sent off for an altercation with Swansea’s Jerry Yates on the final day of last season.
Writer’s View
Japhet Tanganga is a quality defender, his player of the match performance against Manchester City in 2021 as well as numerous Champions League appearances are just a small snippet of his time at Tottenham but prove Millwall have got a gem if he can re-find similar form. His experience around top-quality Premier League players and staff can only be beneficial knowledge to take into this new chapter of his career.
From a Millwall point of view it is an important piece of business to allow for some continuity from their encouraging end to the season under Neil Harris. If they are to progress further though they undoubtedly need more in attacking areas and with rumours of rejected bids for Reading’s Femi Azeez there will understandably be plenty of supporters still sceptical if this season can be a successful one.