Confirmed: Club ready to go to tribunal as Everton linked with young sensation

Millwall are ready to take suitors for Josh Stephenson to a tribunal amid reported interest from Everton, Neil Harris has confirmed.

The Lions boss told South London Press on 9 July that with Premier League clubs increasingly looking to sign young talents his side will ensure they protect themselves if any of their players want to move on.

Brentford, Brighton and Southampton are all said to be linked alongside the Toffees to the 18-year-old, who won Millwall’s Academy Player of the Season award last term.

Harris said: “The game has changed over the last five to 10 years. The Premier League clubs now are intent on buying young players.

“We had interest in our young players. That will always be the case at Millwall because we have some excellent players coming through our system. Josh is no different to that.

“What we will be very honest with as a football club, is that we will only sell any player at the right value where we feel we can get the right deal.

“If we don’t get the right offer, then it will go to a tribunal. If it has to be decided by that, then so be it by us.

“Josh is one that we really want to work with moving forward. But if any player wants to move on to pastures new, then we will make sure we will protect the football club.”

Neil Harris reacts as Everton and Brighton among clubs eyeing Josh Stephenson

Just as the Toffees are holding out for what they believe Jarrad Branthwaite is worth as Manchester United make bids it is little surprise that Millwall would look to protect their own interests when it comes to their younger talents.

Kevin Thelwell has already secured a trio of youngsters for the Under-21 set-up on Merseyside this summer as former Arsenal attacker Omari Benjamin was confirmed, before Partick Thistle announced Ceiran Loney’s move and Linfield announced Braiden Graham’s.

They are also looking to land a fourth in Mason Melia from St. Patrick’s Athletic, who they are also competing with Brighton for [TEAMtalk, 3 July].

So interest in Stephenson, who can play in defence or midfield and caught the eye during last season’s FA Youth Cup run, follows a pattern of restocking an academy set up that was accused of being lacking by Sean Dyche earlier this year [Liverpool Echo, 9 March].

Should the Toffees be able to tempt the youngster from The Den then it would likely work out in both clubs’ interest to reach a compensation arrangement given the potential for a tribunal to leave either side aggrieved, but until any move is made that is a bridge that is yet to be crossed.

In other Everton news, a clause has now been activated to add another new twist to a Toffees transfer race.

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