Alex Aldridge and head coach Joe Edwards have already been in discussion over transfers but are focusing on the long-term
MILLWALL’S Director of Recruitment has told fans to not expect a major overhaul in the next transfer window.
Joe Edwards’ arrival as the new head coach earlier this month has brought with it hopes of a fresh style of play and exciting new recruitments.
The window re-opens in January when clubs will get a chance to boost their squads with mid-season additions.
Alex Aldridge has been heavily involved in Millwall’s signings since joining the club in 2015 and, after leaving and then rejoining from Stoke City, became the Director of Football Operations and Recruitment at The Den in 2022.
He said that he and Edwards were looking towards the future rather than a dash to bring in recruitments at the next possible opportunity.
Aldridge told NewsAtDen: “Yes we’ve had chats about the January transfer window but more of our discussion is about the next two, three and four transfer windows and what we want the squad to look like and how we’re going to get there. I think we have to be realistic and Joe is realistic that you can’t make big changes to your squad in January. It’s an availability-driven transfer window the majority of the time.
There’s a few factors in there. Injuries are up 15% in the Premier League this season, I think partly due to the extra time that we’re playing and the knock-on effect of the mid-season World Cup last year, which means squads are a bit more stretched so it might be harder to get players out on loan.
“You’ve also got the African Cup of Nations in the new year which will have a knock-on effect in terms of the availability of players from those clubs. Not just the players going to AFCON but then the players that stay behind and maybe slot into squads to cover injuries in the Premier League.
“Of course we’ll look at the squad and strengthen where we can but more of our discussions are about the long-term and looking ahead to next summer and the bigger picture beyond that.”
While he has never managed a senior club before, Edwards arrives with a raft of experiences and connections from various roles at Chelsea, Everton and the Football Association, where he was briefly England’s Under-20 boss earlier this year.
Aldridge is positive that the 37-year-old’s strong network of contacts can help in the Lions’ attempts to sniff out a good deal in the competitive transfer market.
But he warns this will not automatically result in Millwall snatching the best youth talent from the biggest clubs.
He said: “It will be useful because Joe’s come from a world, not just at Chelsea but Everton and the Football Association, so his network is really strong. Joe’s had a lot of contact time with top players, coaches, managers, technical directors and has done a wide variation roles at Chelsea over the years including the loan manager role for a period of time.
“The most powerful thing is not just his knowledge of the players, but knowledge of his personalities and characters and being able to help us with the referencing and background of those players. A lot has been made of Joe’s relationships at Chelsea and there’s possibly an expectation that the January window will open and the best two under-21s from Chelsea will turn up on the first of January which won’t be the case. Any player we sign has to be the right player for the right reasons, and there has to be an opportunity for that player.
“We’ve had good success with Premier League loans. Brooke [Norton-Cuffy] is doing well, Cressy and Shacks [Charlie Cresswell and Jamie Shackleton] last year, Dan Ballard the year before that, Jayson Molumby from Brighton several years ago. So I think we’re already well-regarded by Premier League clubs but I think Joe will only add to that.
“He’s got a very good network and a lot of people know Joe, like Joe and trust Joe at Premier League clubs.”
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