Millwall suffer frustrating player blow

Millwall midfielder Callum Styles will miss much of the rest of the season through injury.

Styles, who joined the Lions on loan from Barnsley in the summer, is expected to be out for the next 12 weeks with a quad injury.

It’s a blow to Gary Rowett’s side as Styles has been a regular for most of the season, scoring and assisting in 18 games since arriving at The Den.

Representing Hungary at international level, Styles has been a valuable asset to the Lions with his ability to play in a variety of midfield positions.

But now the 22-year-old will be sidelined for most of the remainder of the season which could mean he has played his final game for the club as he is set to return to Oakwell in the summer where he signed a new five-year deal before his temporary retirement.

Rowett wasn’t sure how hard Styles’ absence will be for his side.

“It’s really disappointing for us and really disappointing for Stylesy,” Rowett to the South London Press. “But we have to keep going.

“We don’t know if he did it in training or in a game, there wasn’t a specific moment when he felt it.

“He went for a scan and the specialist said it was pretty bad – nothing torn but he almost pulled the fibers in the quad, although it’s probably a bit more technical than I explained.

“It’s felt a bit like that for a while (with injury setbacks), we get a player who plays well and fights for a place in midfield, as well as has the versatility to also play on the left and then he gets injured. “

The Lions are currently eighth in the Championship standings, two points from play-off places, and are back in action when they host Sunderland, another top-six contender, on Saturday.

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The judgment

Styles’ injury is incredibly frustrating for Millwall.

He had become an important part of the Lions’ midfield, giving Rowett a different type of option than those already available to him, as well as his invaluable versatility.

Rowett will hope Styles has not played his last game for the club and it would not be a surprise if the club try to sign him on a permanent basis in the summer, especially if Barnsley fail to win promotion from League One.

But for now, Styles will be a major failure for the Lions in their promotion push, although the Lions are well stocked in midfield, leaving Rowett with players more than capable of filling in while Styles is sidelined.