Gary Rowett has said that Millwall will be prioritising the signing of a new striker this summer.

The Lions have enjoyed a decent season in which they've established themselves as a mid-table side in the Championship, but next season they're aiming higher.

One key problem for Milwall has been putting the ball in the back of the net, with the club's top goalscorer being midfielder Jed Wallace who has netted 10 times from the middle of the park.

But when discussing plans for the new season, Rowett said he's focused on bringing in a goalscorer while also looking to bring through more of the club's young players.

As quoted by the South London Press, Rowett said: "What you see with loans, in some ways, is that you are only really taking them if you can’t find a permanent solution for a position.

“Often with loans they are a bit more financially viable, you can get a loan player that you can’t get permanently. Normally that comes with the caveat that they are either young or they have been around the block and are trying to get going again.

“This summer I am particularly keen to bring our own young players in to lower the age of the squad a little bit. That is my primary aim. But then you start looking at recruitment, and it is never that simple.

“We’re certainly going to try in the striker role [to do a permanent deal]. But that position is the most obvious in terms of giving you someone you might not have been able to afford. If Ken had stayed fit we would have seen that scenario play out and the benefits of that.

“We are looking for that improvement, but have we got time to develop a striker into what we want? It is quite difficult to do that in a competitive Championship environment. You need them to have that impact.

“I don’t think we’re set in any one way of doing it. We’re just trying to get the best possible player we can generally. Whatever looks right, that’s what we’ll try and do. It is quite hard to be too specific. Every club in the league would say they would rather get a permanent player. There is a finite number of forward players with the qualities you desire and that you can afford. Therefore the loan market becomes an option.

“I don’t think anyone wants to use the loan market all the time otherwise every season you are having to rebuild the squad again. You want a settled version of the squad and just to improve on it.”

The verdict

This is certainly a reassuring update for Millwall.

Supporters have been crying out for a top striker for some time and it finally looks like it could become a priority this summer.

Of course getting a deal over the line is another thing entirely, but there's no doubt that Gary Rowett will be able to attract some decent names.