Former Imps keeper Lukas Jensen has taken an important step in his comeback, completing his first full match in eight months for Millwall’s under-21s.
Jensen’s lay-off had stretched from April to the start of December after an Achilles injury suffered in training brought his momentum to a brutal halt, yet the Dane returned this week with a performance that Millwall described as both timely and ahead of schedule.
A Long Road Back
Supporters at Sincil Bank got to know Jensen as a calm, imposing figure during his season with City. His move to Millwall brought with it the challenge of stepping into the Championship, a test he met well across 43 appearances before a torn Achilles tendon in April pushed him into what initially looked like a lengthy period of uncertainty.
It was a major worry for City – we have a healthy sell-on clause in Lukas’s contract, and the belief is he’ll step up again with regular football. He’s still young and was climbing rapidly.
Millwall boss Alex Neil admitted that the club had first expected a far longer return timeline. Jensen eased into light training in September and full training last month, giving coaches hope that he might yet play in 2025.
Even so, being thrown into a match setup is a different ordeal from dealing with shots in controlled drills, and Neil made clear that the step back toward competitive action was more psychological than physical.
90 Minutes Banked
That step came on Tuesday when he started for Kevin Nugent’s under-21s away at Wigan Athletic. Millwall won the Professional Development League encounter 2-1 with goals from Jack Howland and a last-minute strike from Frankie Baker. The occasion, though, centred on Jensen’s clean bill of health and steady 90-minute presence.
Millwall noted that first-team opportunities will not be rushed. Neil stressed that Jensen will need several full games before he is considered for senior selection again”
“We’d need a good few 90 minutes under his belt,” Neil said. “It’s a considerable injury he’s had, so the last thing I’d want to do is rush him back and then it happens again.
“With Lukas, what I will say is his focus and determination to get himself back have been unwavering, in terms of how much work he’s put in. He’s an absolute animal at the moment; he’s desperate to get back.”
Where This Leaves Him
Jensen has already made his return, ticking off his first full game since the spring and doing so without setback. Millwall’s youngsters now turn their attention to Wolverhampton Wanderers in the Premier League Cup group stage on 8th December, a fixture that may provide Jensen with another opportunity to build minutes.
For those of us who watched him grow in an Imps shirt, it is good to see him back where he belongs, between the posts and on the climb again. Who knows, we might get that healthy sell-on fee, after all.
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