Millwall fans won't want to think too much about it but you'd imagine there have been plenty of discussions between Gary Rowett and the club hierarchy about preparing for life without Jed Wallace.

The Lions have had some talismanic figures over the years and there's no doubt that Wallace is exactly that to this current side.

He has been the beating heart of their side for a number of seasons now, putting up numbers of goals and assists that help to make up for the lack of a consistent goalscoring striker.

But with his deal set to expire next summer and it looking increasingly difficult for the south London club to agree a new one that keeps him at the Den, as per Football League World sources, the end of his Millwall career could well be in sight.

Celtic, Rangers, Newcastle United, and West Ham United are all understood to be vying to sign the 27-year-old when the January window opens, so you'd hope Millwall have contingency plans in place in case he does depart.

Finding a replacement will be no easy task – this is, after all, a player that has contributed 25 goals and 24 assists since the start of the 2019/20 season – but in Lincoln City's Anthony Scully, Millwall look to have identified a player that has the potential to fill those massive shoes.

As Football League World understands it, the Lions are one of a number of Championship sides that have been monitoring the 22-year-old's progress this season and it is clear to see why.

Since leaving West Ham United to join the Imps, Scully has scored 29 times and added 13 assists in 77 appearances while playing across the forward line.

Any replacement for Wallace will need to be able to serve as both a goalscorer and a creator, which the Republic of Ireland U21s international has done at Lincoln.

Additionally, he's proven himself effective through the middle as well as on both the left and right, which suggests he may be able to match the Millwall man's versatility.

Wallace's ability to carry the ball forward and drag his side up the field is vital to Rowett's side and we've seen Scully do that for the Imps, with his pace and ball control making him effective both cutting inside and flying down the flanks.

Despite what he does offer, the Lincoln attacker is not a readymade replacement for Millwall's talisman just yet and at 22 he's got a fair bit of development ahead of him but the in-demand League One player has the potential to fill the void long term.

Given the club's budget, bringing in a player that is equal in stature to Wallace would never have been realistic but Scully could well be the answer.