Bart's Millwall Move Off
Tuesday, 25th Jun 2019 12:46

Town keeper Bartosz Bialkowski’s move to Millwall is off due to a complication relating to the Polish international’s medical.

The 31-year-old travelled to South London to talk terms and undergo his medical on Thursday with the clubs having agreed a fee understood to be in the region of £1 million.

However, a complication emerged during the medical relating to Bialkowski’s knee which led the Lions to try to renegotiate the terms of the deal, something Town, believing the matter not to be a significant risk, were unwilling to do and they pulled the plug on the move.

“We agreed a substantial fee with Ipswich for Bart,” Millwall manager Neil Harris told The South London Press.

“Bart was in my office — paperwork was signed and agreed, terms were agreed with the player. He is fantastic character, a real nice lad.

“Everything was okay with Ipswich and there was a complication with the medical, which has led to complications with the deal. As we stand at the moment, the deal is off.”

Bialkowski, who underwent an ACL operation in February 2006 during his time with Southampton, has been a regular throughout his time with the Blues and before that with Notts County and has missed very few games due to injury in that time.

He has made 177 starts and one sub appearance for Town in the five seasons since signing from the Magpies on a free transfer in the summer of 2014.

The keeper was back at Playford Road for the start of pre-season training yesterday and was again present this morning.

Asked whether it was possible Bialkowski could still be with Town at the start of the season, prior to the news relating to his medical being made public, manager Paul Lambert said: “Absolutely, there’s a massive chance, a huge chance and I’ve never thought anything else, it never really worried me what was going on.

“We had a chat at the end of the season, he’s a good guy, no problem. He played fantastically well against Leeds, so I never had any problem with anything, so I never worried about it.

“Until somebody says to me there’s a massive amount of money or whatever it is [he’s a Town player].”

Quizzed on the situation as it stood at the end of the week with the move to Millwall apparently imminent, he added: “I just came back not that long ago and I had a chat with him yesterday. I know Millwall were interested and everything that’s gone on but other than that I don’t know.

“He’s our player, he’s training with us this morning, so unless he’s got a body double I’m sure it’s Bart that’s here.”

Lambert denied that Bialkowski moving on this summer is something of an inevitability.

"No, not really," he insisted. "You only move if the club lets you move. It doesn’t matter if you say he’s a player who wants to move, it doesn’t matter because the club has the hold.

"Bart’s been great, I had a chat with him yesterday, and he was fine, not a problem, he’s focused, and he’s our player, and if Bart or any player leaves here come the next few weeks, then they do their best for the football club and Bart falls into that category."

If Bialkowski does move on - via a revival of the Millwall deal or elsewhere - has the Blues boss got a target lined up to come in to compete with recent signing Tomas Holy for the number one shirt?

"No, because there’s no number one at the minute, you have to fight," Lambert added.

"Bart and Tomas have to fight together, and whoever plays the best they play.

"Anything could happen between now and the start of the season, someone could get injured, somebody might not be in good form, so you can’t guarantee anybody anything at the minute.

"Everyone is in the same boat, but as I said before I need everyone to go the same way and not have any favourites or any ones who are always going to play, everyone has to earn the right to play."

Photo: TWTD

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JackSted added 12:49 - Jun 25 rather sell him tbh. he's one of the biggest earners in our club atm. this could cause issues with potential signings
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Ipswichbusiness added 12:49 - Jun 25 Mixed feelings. Glad to have him, but worried about finances.
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tractorboybig added 12:50 - Jun 25 o well that's us not buying this close season
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Northstander_Blue added 12:51 - Jun 25 Great news
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NW10_Tractor added 12:53 - Jun 25 If Bart does go, would Jordan Archer do a job at this level considering he is unattached?
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TractorCam added 12:53 - Jun 25 Sad news for Bart but good for us, although i'm certain another championship club will come calling.
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TractorCam added 12:54 - Jun 25 NW10, Holy will be our number 1 keeper.
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WhoisJimmyJuan added 12:55 - Jun 25 Trying to interpret this. Were Millwall Trying it on in the end? I mean either there is a genuine medical issue or there isn't. And Bart has not been one of our many sicknotes in the last few years?
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Steve_ITFC_Sweden added 12:56 - Jun 25 To be continued ...
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HARRY10 added 12:59 - Jun 25 I'm not sure if you can issue someone with a 'genuine medical' problem - but if that problem does exist it will mean any possible move will raise than concern.
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Bluearmy_81 added 13:06 - Jun 25 Never seem so many worry warts in one place?!! Worried about the finances? He'll help us go back up! Worry about that not happening if you want something to worry about!
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Hipsterectomy added 13:06 - Jun 25 I expected Bart to fail his medical, but Millwall?!
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JoHnNnY added 13:10 - Jun 25 Knew about the ACL in 2006, but Milwall?
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blues1 added 13:19 - Jun 25 Bluearmy81. Bart isnt going to take us up on his own. We need at least 3 or 4 more players to realistically be in with that chance. Him not going could prevent us from signing those players. So of course it's a concern for people.
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timkatieadamitfc added 13:30 - Jun 25

Great news for us but I do think unfortunately he will go before season starts.
Glad we're finally holding out for a decent price instead of doing our usual and bending over.
@tractorboy - get real, Evans was never going to spend ANY money anyways, so if people think that Bart fee would be reinvested- dream on.
Does Lamberts last paragraph read that Chambers and Skuse WILL NOT be nailed on starters every week if fit. Irrespective of form sadly I think not.

timkatieadamitfc added 13:31 - Jun 25 Oh and fee in region of 1m is still WAY too cheap imo
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BaddowBlue1 added 13:35 - Jun 25

I do think that Millwall have tried to move the goalposts on this deal but If he stays he stays, Holy might just be the competition Bart needs to regain top form as it is a fresh challenge compared to him and Gerks. Town knew about his ACL when he signed on a free and took a gamble on him which for the most part has paid off. Could turn out to be an asset in Division 1 this coming season.in a division he has played in before.

SouperJim added 13:40 - Jun 25 If the rumours are true and Millwall tried it on, well done Evans for telling them where to go. If we let one club take the proverbial at the 11th hour, everyone we try and do business with will be doing it.
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ITFCsince73 added 13:46 - Jun 25 Bart wont take us up on his own? Hes proved he can keep a side up on his own. Over a few seasons. Will be like a great new signing if he ends up staying. In today's crazy market 1.5m is a steal for a quality experienced keeper
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inghamspur added 13:53 - Jun 25 The ACL would help to explain why his kicking is so poor.
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ITFCsince73 added 14:01 - Jun 25 Inghamspur Hopefully the days of lumping it forward at any given chance are history at ITFC.
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Nazemariner added 14:01 - Jun 25 Sounds like Millwall tried to pull a fast one.
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dubblue added 14:01 - Jun 25

I think this is good news for us, if we are ambitious we need to have an eye to 2020/21 after we get promoted, and Bart is the type of player we will need then (assuming his form of old returns).

Obviously all the uncertainty is not good for Bart but hopefully he will settle down.

TBH I think Millwall are being overly cautious with his ACL given the fact that Bart has not missed too many matches due to injury.