Exclusive: Millwall offer new contracts to Matt Smith and Alex Pearce

Matt Smith and Alex Pearce have been offered new contracts by Millwall – but on reduced terms.

The experienced duo are both due to be free agents at the start of June.

Striker Smith, who turns 32 next month, has scored 19 goals in 77 matches for the Lions. He has been sidelined with a broken foot since the start of March.

Centre-back Pearce, 32, has made 20 starts this season but has been left on the bench since the 4-1 home loss to Bournemouth.

Millwall have released two long-serving players in midfield veteran Shaun Williams and winger Shane Ferguson. Back-up goalkeeper Frank Fielding is also moving on.

“We’ve got quite a lot of change expected this summer and what I’ve tried to do is maintain a little bit of balance,” said Lions boss Gary Rowett.

“Matt and Pearcey both offer us good experience and both have offered us really good leadership around the dressing room.

“You can probably see in that last game [a 6-1 loss at Coventry] that if we get one or two injuries we haven’t got that naturally running through the group.

“Both are really important off the field and add value on the pitch in certain games, and so if the levels are right then we’d like to keep both.”

Targetman Smith is likely to have interest from elsewhere. He made just seven starts in the 35 Championship squads he was named in last season.

“It is a difficult market,” said Rowett. “The offers we have made might not be acceptable to them and they might choose to move on. But we’re trying to see if we can come to an agreement.

“Every player has a right to see what is out there. Especially in those two cases, their offers are slightly reduced – in line with covid and where we feel the market is.

“We have to balance off what we want to do [in terms of strengthening the squad] and what we can do financially.

“Matt has an obvious impact in certain games, particularly to change them in the latter stages. And Pearcey has that leadership in certain games. I don’t think either is in a position where they are going to start every game and they know that. But there is still a value within the group for those two players.

“They’ve both had an impact in the season and we don’t want to lose them.”

Rowett says the door is not completely closed on Fielding, pictured above, whose stay in SE16 was badly disrupted by injuries.

“Frankie has been fantastic around the place and what I did tell him is that I wouldn’t hesitate to go back and offer him a deal if we can’t get the keeper we want,” explained the Den chief. “But I felt it was better for both parties to be clear where we are.

“He is a great trainer and the lads love him, he was really popular in the group.”