Millwall have announced that veteran goalkeeper Bartosz Bialkowski will depart the club this summer upon the expiration of his contract.
The 36-year-old signed for the Lions from Ipswich ahead of the 2019-20 season, initially on loan, before making his move permanent in January 2020.
The big Polish goalkeeper has impressed during his time at The Den, and has become a real fan favourite thanks to his performances. It remains to be seen what the future holds for Bialkowski, but having played in England since 2006, it remains to be seen if he’ll carry on playing, and if so, where that’ll be.
Ipswich Town supporters will be fully aware of how it feels seeing Bialkowski leave the club after he spent six years with the Suffolk-based club before departing for Milwall. The goalkeeper has been popular everywhere he has played, and Millwall will be looking to finish the season on a high for the one-time Polish international.
Bartosz Bialkowski has become a legend at Millwall
Since joining in the summer of 2019, Bartosz Bialkowski has become a real fan favourite at The Den, and proved to be a top-class goalkeeper, particularly when he first joined.
His first season at The Den couldn’t have gone any better. He played all 46 league games, won Millwall’s Player of the Year award, and won the Championship Golden Glove for keeping a league high 16 clean sheets.
It was more of the same during his second season at the club, and he played all 46 league games yet again, keeping 17 clean sheets and won the club’s Player of the Year award yet again.
Bialkowski’s signing proved to be a great one, and he played every single league game for a third season in a row during the 2021/22 season, keeping another 14 clean sheets.
However, after an indifferent start to the 2022/23 season, Bialkowski’s incredible run of 147 consecutive league starts came to an end, and he had to settle for second choice behind George Long.
Baring a period in the middle of this season where he put a run of games together, the Polish international has had to play second fiddle to Matija Sarkic this season, and with his age and contract situation counting against him, he will leave the club this summer.
It’s easy to see just how influential he’s been over the years at The Den, and it’s no exaggeration to say he’s a modern-day Millwall legend.
It speaks volumes that Bartosz Bialkowski is so well thought of at two clubs
The keeper was also a modern-day hero at Ipswich Town prior to his Millwall move, so the Tractor Boys’ supporters will understand how Millwall supporters are feeling right now.
Bialkowski made 178 appearances for Ipswich, nine more than the 169 he’s currently made for Millwall, and it’s not very often that a player can be a hero at two clubs in the same division, but the Polish goalkeeper has managed it.
Not only is he a likeable character, but he’s hardworking and was a very good Championship goalkeeper, so it’s easy to see why he’s so well thought of at both clubs.
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