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Bart's Millwall Loan Move Confirmed
Tuesday, 30th Jul 2019 15:40

Town have confirmed that keeper Bartosz Bialkowski has joined Millwall on loan for the season.

TWTD revealed on Sunday that the 32-year-old switch to the Lions, which broke down last month, had been revived.

Confirmation of Bialkowski’s move will see Will Norris’s loan move from Wolves rubber-stamped, the deal having been all but agreed yesterday.

"I am relieved," Bialkowski told the Lions' official website. "It's been a crazy few weeks, but I'm happy to finally get this deal done. I'm excited for the future.

"The clubs were still talking about this deal happening from six weeks ago, and I was fully focussed to get it done.

"I was on the phone to my agent every day, asking about any progress with it. I'm just happy to be here."

He added: "The Championship is a League I have played a lot of games in and I am ready to go. I have proved myself in the League and I hope I can push everyone else forward.

"Last year was crazy, but previously I had a really good time in the Championship and I want to prove it again. I know Frankie [Fielding] from playing against him, he seems a nice guy and is a good goalkeeper.

"It's always nice to have good competition, so whoever the gaffer picks will play, but I came here to play and I'm sure he did as well.

"I spoke to the gaffer and he said that although we have a small squad, we have a good squad of players.

"Everyone seems to get on well with each other and there is a good atmosphere, which is the main thing in the changing room. There's a platform to build on there for success."

The Polish international's initial proposed near-£1 million switch broke down due to Lions’ concerns regarding his knee which emerged during his medical, something which has never been considered a worry by the Blues during his five years at the club.

The South Londoners tried to renegotiate the deal before Town ultimately pulled the plug. But discussions regarding the switch were revived over the last week or so.

Following relegation to League One, Town were willing to consider bids for Bialkowski, their highest-paid player after the bumper new deal he signed last summer - which runs to the summer of 2021 with the club having an option for a further season - having returned from duty with Poland at the World Cup finals in Russia.

That new contract followed the Blues' refusal of a £3 million offer from Birmingham for the former Notts County and Southampton man.

Despite having said he is happy at Town - and that he plans to live in Suffolk once he retires - League One football was unlikely to improve Bialkowski’s international prospects and a move back to the Championship has always been on the cards, although with the move only a loan it is far from impossible that he could return to continue his Town career at the end of the season.

Bialkowski, an unused sub at Cambridge on Saturday, has made 177 starts and one sub appearance for the Blues having signed from Notts County in the summer of 2014 on a free transfer.

The 6ft 4in glovesman, who had a short spell on loan at Town in 2009 without making a senior appearance, won the club's Player of the Year gong in three successive seasons before relinquishing the award in 2018/19.


Photo: TWTD



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