Millwall manager Gary Rowett has admitted he will be keeping tabs on West Bromwich Albion loanee Jayson Molumby throughout the remainder of the campaign, speaking in an interview with the South London Press.
The Republic of Ireland international, who is still permanently contracted to Premier League side Brighton & Hove Albion, spent the 2019/20 campaign at The Den and made 40 competitive appearances, an impressive total for the 22-year-old who initially arrived in the English capital as a teenager.
As well as heading out to West Bromwich Albion in the late stages of the previous transfer window, he was also shipped out on loan to Preston North End in the second half of last term and has failed to make any real impact for the Seagulls in the top flight after graduating from the south-coast side's academy.
At this present stage, he is likely to be competing for a spot with captain Jake Livermore and former Barnsley skipper Alex Mowatt, who was a key player under current boss Valerien Ismael at Oakwell last season.
With this, it could be a tough task for Molumby to force his way into the Baggies' starting lineup straight away barring any injuries, suspensions or a system change by Ismael, although the latter is unlikely to happen with Kean Bryan's arrival and the current formation working well at the moment.
Another manager who will be keeping an eye on him is Millwall boss Gary Rowett, who said to the South London Press: "We’ve always had a long-standing interest in Jayson.
"When a deal didn’t work out after he left, we went out and signed Maikel Kieftenbeld, who is a similar type of player. Billy Mitchell is a player who has also come through with a lot of those qualities, too.
"He’s always a player we keep an eye on but we also felt that we needed a slightly different midfielder like George Saville.
"I think it’s probably a good move (West Brom) for Jayson. Of course, we’ll monitor that because he’s a player that we know a lot about and that we think a lot of.”
The Verdict:
After seeing him play such a key part for the Lions during the 2019/20 campaign, it's no wonder Rowett is keeping an eye on the 22-year-old who may move on permanently from Brighton at some point if he continues to remain an outcast under Graham Potter.
He's a talented player, but it will be extremely difficult to get past club captain Livermore and probably even harder to get past Mowatt who has arguably been the EFL signing of the summer, so there's every chance he will become available again for another club.
As per the Birmingham Mail, West Brom officials are already preparing to make this loan move permanent and this option in the temporary agreement just goes to show that the Seagulls would be willing to come to the negotiating table if the price is right.
However, there's not a bottomless pit of money at The Den and if he has a successful season at The Hawthorns this term, West Brom will either get first priority on a loan deal or there will be a whole host of clubs looking to outbid each other for his services.
It's definitely worth keeping an eye on the Republic of Ireland international though, because he could be a fantastic signing for Rowett's signing if he suddenly becomes available. At 22, he could potentially be a signing for the long-term.