Midfielder linked with a move to Kenilworth Road is released by Millwall

Millwall have confirmed that long-serving midfielder George Saville, who has been linked with a move to Luton, will leave the Den when his contract expires at the end of month.

The 32-year-old had been in discussions to extend his four year stint in south London, but with an announcement not reached, he will now depart a Lions side that he made almost 250 appearances for across four spells, scoring 19 goals in that time too. Having signed on a loan deal from Chelsea when a teenager back in 2013, Saville returned on a temporary basis from Wolverhampton Wanderers in 2015, before completing a permanent move in 2017.

After being sold to Middlesbrough for around £8m in 2019, a fee that was a then club record for the Lions, he was back once more in 2021 to become an integral player in a Millwall side who nearly made the play-offs last term. On his exit, with a move to Luton Town now being heavily rumoured, director of football Steve Gallen said: “George leaves with our very best wishes and genuine thanks for everything he’s done for the club over the years. He’s always given 100% in a Millwall shirt and has been someone the squad could depend on in the good and difficult times.

“We offered George a new deal that reflected the role we saw for him moving forward, but in the end, we couldn’t quite reach an agreement. We completely respect his decision and wish him nothing but success wherever he goes next. George is hugely respected by everyone here and will always be welcome back at The Den - not just as a former player, but as a friend to many.”

Saville, who is Northern Ireland international, winning his 59th cap during the 2-1 defeat to Denmark at the weekend, posted his own message, in which he added: “Today, I'm leaving Millwall - a decision that comes with a heavy heart. I want to thank the fans more than anything - you've been brilliant with me. Through the good times and the bad, you've always backed me, and I'll never forget that. You lot are what makes the club special.

"This is a proper club with proper people. I want to thank everyone behind-the-scenes and all my team-mates for the culture and the environment we built to make every day a day I looked forward to. I’ve made friends for life. I'll be honest, I didn't think this day would come so soon, but that's football and I'm looking forward to my next chapter. I'll be supporting you guys from a distance.”