Millwall have endured a difficult start to the 2026/27 Championship campaign after falling short in the play-offs the previous year, as Alex Neil will be hoping for a bit of luck in the medical department sooner rather than later.

Millwall, after 12 games, sit 13th in the Championship table, with four wins, three draws, and five defeats, as Alex Neil's side have so far struggled to replicate their form from last year, which saw them finish 3rd and narrowly miss out to Hull City in the play-offs.

Neil will point to the sheer amount of injuries the Lions have endured already, with the likes of Tristan Crama, Lukas Jensen, Josh Coburn, Casper De Norre, Mathis Servais, and Mihailo Ivanovic just a handful of names who have spent time in the treatment room in the early stages of the season.

Ivanovic, in particular, has been a big miss for Millwall, especially after positive signs in his first couple of years in Bermondsey.

Mihailo Ivanovic enjoyed a solid debut campaign with Millwall following a £2.8 million switch

Ivanovic joined Millwall in the summer of 2024 from Serbian side Vojvodina for a fee worth around £2.8 million, having previously spent time with Italian outfit Sampdoria.

The 21-year-old, initially arriving as a teenager, was signed under Neil Harris before Neil assumed control at The Den in December 2024, and in his first year at the club, scored 12 in 37 Championship appearances, announcing himself as one the brightest forward prospects on the continent.

Unsurprisingly, his performances in the English capital naturally attracted interest from elsewhere, as Millwall weighed up whether to cash in for a quick profit after one year or persist with his development.

Millwall rejected a £7 million approach from Italian side Parma for Mihailo Ivanovic in the summer of 2025

After a stellar debut year in Bermondsey, Ivanovic drew attention from across the continent, including in the United Kingdom from Everton and Wolverhampton Wanderers, as Italian outfit Parma submitted a bid for the striker worth around £7 million.

Millwall have garnered a reputation for being especially savvy in the transfer market in recent years, raking in healthy profits on the likes of Zian Flemming, Japhet Tanganga, Romain Esse, and, most recently, Femi Azeez, as a sale of Ivanovic would represent a quick and healthy profit.

However, the Lions opted to reject this approach from Parma, and instead doubled down on the Serbian.

Millwall awarded Mihailo Ivanovic with a fresh contract as Alex Neil may regret his transfer decision now

After knocking back Parma's approach, Millwall handed Ivanovic a fresh long-term contract to remain in Bermondsey for the foreseeable, choosing to continue to develop the striker in the hopes he could guide them to the Premier League or find them an even bigger profit.

In 44 Championship appearances last season, the Serbian scored nine and assisted three - not a bad record by any stretch of imagination, though Millwall would surely be lying if they said they hadn't hoped for more.

The Lions completed the additions of both Lyndon Dykes and Tairyk Arconte over the summer to provide further competition up top, with Josh Coburn already waiting in the wings.

After suffering a fractured metatarsal, Ivanovic has missed the first two-and-a-half months of the season, and made his return to action recently off the bench against Portsmouth.

Certainly, time is more than on Ivanovic's side to re-find his form and justify exactly why Millwall put all their eggs in one basket with him, though he must start performing sooner rather than later; otherwise, the Lions will struggle to recoup much of the £7 million fee they knocked back for him just 12 months ago.

What do you make of Mihailo Ivanovic's current situation with Millwall? Were the Lions correct to knock back the £7 million bid from Parma in hindsight? Share your thoughts below!

Alex Neil will be demanding more from Mihailo Ivanovic upon his return from injury

After returning to the side against Portsmouth, Ivanovic will likely be eased back into the side to build up match fitness as opposed to being thrown straight into the deep end, especially with Millwall's current injury crisis.

However, if Millwall are to seriously challenge for a play-off spot again this season, they must find some form and get points on the board sooner rather than later, otherwise they may cut adrift.

Ivanovic can play a crucial role in those efforts, as Neil will be looking to the Serbian star to lead the charge for the top eight and justify his decision to double down on him.