MILLWALL head coach Alex Neil said Romain Esse was left out of the match-day squad against Dagenham & Redbridge on Monday night as his proposed move to Crystal Palace is “progressing”.
The Lions defeated the Daggers 3-0 in the third round to book a tie against Leeds United at Elland Road.
Mihailo Ivanovic and Casper De Norre scored either side of the break against the National League side before Lions fans at The Den were given another glimpse of the current success of their academy, which produced nineteen-year-old Esse.
Midfielder Ra’ees Bangura-Williams, 20, came on in the 75th minute and scored ten minutes later.
Neil also introduced Sheldon Kendall for his first-ever senior appearance, days after the seventeen-year-old winger signed his first professional contract.
Those debuts should ease the blow with Esse close to a move to Selhurst Park.
“There wasn’t an issue,” Neil said. “Obviously Crystal Palace have shown a lot of interest in Romain and I didn’t make him available for the game.
“I think that that situation is progressing. So what I wouldn’t do is put that at risk at this stage. Now if we get to next week and nothing’s changed, then Roman Esse will be back in the squad.”
