Millwall have decided to downgrade their academy to a centre of excellence to help save money at the club.

Lions manager Kenny Jackett told BBC London 94.9: "There's criteria for an academy - staff levels, facilities - and they're very expensive as well."

Jackett bemoaned the difficulties in keeping young players but added that Millwall do have a major selling point.

"They're going to make the grade at first-team level a lot quicker than they would at the bigger clubs."

Millwall will make savings by moving away from the strict criteria of running an academy.

But the club has stressed that youth development will not be affected by the change despite the difficulty of holding onto young players.

"We've got a very good 13-year-old lad but the system means that at the end of the season he can go, by way of a window in his contract, to other clubs," Jackett said.

"At the end of April, early May he had a week at Arsenal, a week at Manchester United.

"We lost three players last season who, no doubt about it, would have been close to the first team this season.

"You do get compensation but it doesn't necessarily help with the morale," he concluded.