Crystal Palace have completed the signing of Romain Esse from Millwall – so check out everything you need to know about our latest addition below...
Esse, 19, first joined Millwall’s academy at the age of just nine-years-old back in 2014, having previously trialled with Chelsea. The winger has been with the Lions for over a decade, until his switch across South London to Palace.
While honing his craft, Esse also attended St Thomas the Apostle College for five years, whose alumni includes plenty of professional footballers: Ademola Lookman, Nigel Quashie, Nyron Nosworthy and Danny Haynes also attended.
Born in Lambeth and raised in nearby Peckham and Bermondsey, Esse was surrounded by talented footballers, having also played in the same district youth team as Karoy Anderson and Nathan Asiimwe, both products of Charlton Athletic’s academy in recent years.
But for Esse, Millwall was the standout choice. “I first joined [Millwall] when I was nine,” Esse then told the South London Press in 2023. “Chelsea were liking my progress, but I came to Millwall because I was living in South-East London.
“The stadium was nearby, and it was ideal for me and my family.”
He may still only be 19-years-old, but Esse already has over two years of senior football under his belt – invaluable experience for any young player.
The winger's full Millwall debut arrived at the age of 17 on Boxing Day 2022, coming off the bench in the final few minutes of a 2-0 EFL Championship win over Watford.
13 further substitute appearances would follow in his maiden season of senior football, as Esse began to catch the eye of the Millwall supporters.
His direct style and ability to change pace at short notice immediately marked Esse out as a nightmare for opposition full-backs, and the teenager quickly made a name for himself in the Championship as an electric creative talent.
A landmark moment in his fledging career would arrive on the opening day of the following season: only minutes after entering the action from the bench away at Middlesbrough, Esse curled home a stunning first-time effort into the top corner to win the match.
“It was surreal,” Esse later said. “Middlesbrough are a big team and it is a big stadium. Us getting the first goal of the season, and my first senior goal, was great.
“As the ball was pulled back, I just felt the moment was going to happen. After I hit it, I was looking at where the ball was going and I couldn’t believe it – I hit it so perfectly.
"I won’t forget that.”
Esse would go onto make 27 senior appearances in his breakthrough year and, by the end of the season, he had become a regular fixture at The Den.
Esse has also already left his mark on the international scene: an England Under-18 debut came back in March 2023, the winger appearing in a 2-1 win over Croatia.
By September of that year, Esse had been promoted to the Under-19s side and, just 18 months later, had managed to score at three different levels of youth international football.
The highlight was a stunning individual effort in a 4-0 win over Germany for the Under-20s in the Euro Elite League, a goal which summed up his natural ability: collecting the ball on the edge of the area, evading challenges, before managing to curl the ball into the far corner.
Moments of this ilk will bring the Selhurst Park faithful to their feet, hopefully for a long time to come.
Welcome to Crystal Palace, Romain – we cannot wait to see what you can do in the red and blue.
