Chris Wood (Nottingham Forest | England)

MILLWALL have reportedly opened talks with West Brom over a permanent deal for loan striker Chris Wood.

The New Zealand international and Lions chairman John Berylson have both previously stated that they want a January deal to materialise.

And the Daily Mirror reports that manager Kenny Jackett has approached the Baggies with a view to the 20-year-old signing a two-and-a-half-year contract at The Den.

West Brom's asking price is said to be close to £1million and while Millwall will not offer that up front, they are prepared to pay for the deal in instalments and future add-ons.

Wood has scored six goals in 11 appearances for the Lions since joining in September.

He'd be our first million dollar player I think.

The million dollar man

 How much did the Hammers pay for Reid?If anything.

Yeah I might be wrong on that front.

"New Zealand centre-back Winston Reid has penned a three-year deal after moving from Danish club Midtjylland to West Ham for a transfer fee believed to be around £3million."

Can we claim Emblem now hes a NZ resident. Wasn't he a million dollar signing as well once (for some reason i want to say first??)

Another goal for wood!

http://espnfc.com/us/en/report/347393/report.html?soccernet=true&cc=5901

Scored the game's only goal versus Leeds.  A header.  MOTM.

I know West Brom are going good at the moment but there must surely be a thought to bring Woodsy back and give him a go in the Premier League? He keeps scoring goals at Championship level, which I'm sure is what West Brom told him to do. Seem strange to have a guy on the books who is doing what you ask of him and then not give him, at least, a shot in the big leagues. 

 Has had his loan extended until the first of January

Would love to see him have some game time with WBA, makes it hard when they are doing so well without him tho

and the number of striking options WBA have, would prefer him getting some consistyency and stick with one club for a while so he can be properly settled and show what hes got. 

If he keeps banging them in, then theres always the chance another EPL side or promoted championship side will come in for him

Not sure Wood can cut it at the Premiership level at this stage. 

Maybe thats the thing. Wood is Championship level but not EPL.

Early days, I'm happy to see him doing what he's doing in the C'ship - even if Millwall get him perm and he stays there for another year and maintains consistency he'll be in a great spot to get picked up buy an EPL club in the next season or two, he's still only 20 so the experience he's getting playing week in/out and scoring goals is much better than being a squad/fringe player for a mid/lower tier EPL club (Baggies or whoever). 

Not to mention it's much better from an AW perspective too - we'd rather him on the park for Millwall than in the stands for someone else.

I was thinking QPR the other day as well, as they don't have a target man.

I think Wood could cut it in the premiership. He's a good mobile target man whose hold play is very good... and still he's only 20. Before he arrived at Millwill they were languishing near the bottom of the table and are now unbeaten in 10 games and i think a lot of credit for the turn around should go to him.

Wood's skill level's nowhere near the Premiership.

But he's a target man, he doesn't have to be technically as proficient to fulfill his role. What he needs is strength, ability in the air and a high work rate. All of which he has.

Also, compared to other target men in the championship, his goal to game ration is good (and he's playing for a less fancied team), which suggests he also may have a little more x factor about him.

Wood is currently 13th in the Champiohsip scoring charts with 7 from 12 games (11 starts)

Goal scorers 4 - 12 have between 7 - 10 goals but have all played 17 - 18 games except Craig Davis who has 8 from 12 games.

Top three are:

Charlie Austin 16 league goals in 17 games

Glen Murray 15 in 14 games

Jordan Rhodes 11 goals in 15 games.

Out of the top 15 strikers, only 3 would be referred as target men.

If Wood were to have played as many games as the other strikers, using his current ration, he'd be ranked 4th of 5th on the table.

Either way, with little time left on his contract, it will be interesting to see where he ends up.

I just think his control is not good enough for the Premier League level, and he wouldn't be able to keep up with the speed of the game, defenders at the Premier League level are much quicker than what he's used to. Strength and ability in the air won't suffice - even there I don't think his strength would set him apart against Premiership style defenders, Wood's no Didier Drogba. Not sure he exactly has a high work rate, that's been one of criticisms of his game in the past. 

I just think he's found his level and is doing pretty well there, if someone in the Premier League feel like taking a punt on him they will, but I have a feeling he's a slightly better version of Chris Killen, but don't think that's enough to take him to the Premiership at this stage.

He looks to be a good Championship level player. He is young enough that he will get a few chances to go up with some one. I can't see a Premier League team buying him outright.

Scored a belter against Rovers this morning to open the scoring in a 2-0 win for Millwall.

[Edit: Small clip of the goal - http://twitter.yfrog.com/b5n9xgsqxylxzejkfqrxgtyvz ]

Nice strike although he was lucky with the nutmeg.

There should be no shortage of takers for him... also will be interesting to see if he gets any awards this month (young player or player of the month).

Has a New Zealander ever won one of these at any level in England??

 http://nz.sports.yahoo.com/football/champions-league/news/article/-/15468176/millwalls-jackett-keen-to-keep-west-broms-wood/

Millwall manager Kenny Jackett is determined to keep New Zealand striker Chris Wood at the club.

The 20-year old is on loan from West Bromwich Albion until later this year but after he netted the opening goal in Saturday's 2-0 win at Blackburn Rovers, Jackett is keen for him to remain at The Den for a little longer.

"He is doing very well and in a rich vein of form but I'm sure he'd be the first one to say that the partners he's had have been very good as well," said Jackett.

"(Andy) Keogh and (Darius) Henderson have really helped him out a lot.

"Obviously he is here until Christmas and it's an obvious one that we'd like it further. He's done very well for us and it is an obvious thing to say if we could get him at Millwall of course we would."

Wood, who has had previous loan spells with Barnsley, Brighton & Hove Albion, Birmingham City and Bristol City, has netted eight goals in 13 appearances for Millwall.

Add an assist today, just involved everywhere at the moment!

 Team is now up to 5th, having a great run with him there

promotion on the cards... would be good for Chris' CV to carry a team up lol

Relegation when he joins, up to promotion, aww yeah.
Top scorer to boot.
Can't see him playing at West Brom atm but hopefully someone going up buys him.

http://www.teamtalk.com/championship/8292271/Middlesbrough-boss-Tony-Mowbray-has-hailed-Millwall-s-in-form-striker-Chris-Wood

Played the full 90, in a 0-0 with Charlton.

Both Wood & Rojas made Soccer AM's showboat reel this weekend.

guns

Loss 3-0 to News lot

"New Zealand striker Chris Wood had an early goal ruled out for offside before heading a great chance over the Ipswich crossbar..."

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/20564693

 http://www.dailystar.co.uk/football/view/287325/Huddersfield-boss-Simon-Grayson-plots-1m-bid-for-West-Brom-striker-Chris-Wood/

HUDDERSFIELD boss Simon Grayson is planning a £1m bid for West Brom striker Chris Wood next month.

No quotes so its probably purely transfer speculation. Not sure how I feel about this. Millwall seem to be a good fit for him and he's doing well. Suspect they're more likely to stay in the championship/push for promotion. In saying that Grayson seems to be a good manager who stays at clubs long term and tries to build something up.

Leicester having a crack too apparently... http://www.football365.com/transfer-gossip/8329242/Your-Thursday-Gossip 

Just scored 2 for Millwall against Brighton - they're currently 2-1 up in the 70th min.

Millwall have bid 1mill+addons for him. Definitely think he should go there - he needs somewhere stable where he gets guaranteed playing time.