Millwall ‘break club transfer record’ for Middlesbrough’s Josh Coburn, there is one obvious winner in deal
After missing out on a top-six place towards the end of last season, Millwall have wasted no time in the ensuing summer transfer window.
Millwall and Middlesbrough both ended the 2024/25 second tier season in similar circumstances by failing to achieve a top-six place.
Following that, Michael Carrick was sacked earlier in June, with former Luton Town boss Rob Edwards being appointed by Boro as his replacement to oversee the club’s 2025/26 Championship campaign.
So far in the summer transfer window, the business for both sides has been dominated by potential outgoings, with Boro’s Hayden Hackney circled by Manchester United and Wolves monitoring Mihailo Ivanovic at the Den.
Both Millwall and Boro have now been involved in transfer dealings together, with the Lions’ permanent acquisition of Josh Coburn, and there is one side that ought to be happiest with the outcome.
Millwall loanee Josh Coburn before Sunderland AFC vs Millwall FC in the Sky Bet Championship
Millwall sign Josh Coburn from Middlesbrough for ‘club-record’ fee
During the 2024/25 second tier campaign, Coburn spent time on loan at Millwall, during which he scored five Championship goals in 22 appearances under Lions boss Alex Neil.
Despite Coburn’s physicality and frame being suited to Edwards’ style of play, Boro have decided to part ways permanently with the 22-year-old striker.
In Millwall’s announcement, it was revealed that Coburn signed from Boro for a “club-record undisclosed fee”, and it’s understood that the deal is worth in excess of £5m given the potential future add-ons.
Those £5m funds could potentially aid Boro’s pursuit of Alfie Doughty, a former favourite of Edwards at Kenilworth Road.
As we have seen throughout the summer transfer window so far, centre-forwards are some of the most expensive deals to complete, in light of Liam Delap’s £30m Ipswich exit for Chelsea.
Although Coburn made a solid impact at the Lions, shelling out over a £5m fee for a forward who has yet to score more than five goals in a single Championship season is risky business on Millwall’s part.
When comparing Coburn to Boro counterpart Tommy Conway, it makes the club-record fee even more of a risk, given the discrepancy in goal returns between the two.
Key statistic Josh Coburn in 2024/25 Tommy Conway in 2024/25
Games played 22 36
Goals 5 13
Assists 0 1
Shots 28 58
Shots on target 12 28
Josh Coburn’s Championship stats from 2024/25 season compared to Boro’s Tommy Conway
Since his £4.5m switch from Bristol City last August, Conway fired 13 goals and notched one assist in his first 36 Championship games in Boro colours.
As such, Millwall are betting on Coburn’s future to be brighter than his record so far, and the Lions’ director of football has revealed the reason behind their show of faith in the 5-goal forward.
Millwall chief reveals thoughts on Josh Coburn club-record signing
Coburn was outshone in the goalscoring department at the Den last term by Ivanovic, who scored 12 goals from 37 second tier outings to spearhead Millwall’s top-six charge.
Millwall boss Neil believes Ivanovic is one of the best prospects in Europe, but despite his pedigree compared to Coburn’s, the club have brought the former Sunderland product back permanently to continue the two-striker partnership that pushed the Lions up the table.
Director of Football at Millwall, Steve Gallen said: “I’m absolutely thrilled that we’ve secured the signing of Josh Coburn.
“He’s a young centre-forward with exactly the qualities we’ve been looking for. Josh made a significant impact for us last season, particularly the second half of the season where he really stepped up.
“This is a major signing for the club and a real statement of intent… we’ve broken our transfer record to make this happen. A big thanks as well to Alex Neil, who has backed us throughout to get this deal over the line.”
Coburn and the Lions faithful will be hoping he can score more than five goals in a Championship campaign for the first time in his five-season second tier career and help Millwall towards the highly-coveted play-off places in what could be the best Championship yet.
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