Rotherham United: Two deals imminent for Millers

Rotherham United are set to be bolstered by more new signings ahead of Saturday's trip to Aston Villa.
Ross McCormack, leftRoss McCormack, left
Ross McCormack, left

At least one arrival is expected to be announced tomorrow and there is the chance that two deals will be confirmed.

It is thought that one of the players is a defender and the other an attacker.

Kirk BroadfootKirk Broadfoot
Kirk Broadfoot
Hide Ad
Hide Ad

New boss Alan Stubbs, who has already brought eight new faces to the club this summer, had hoped this morning that both transfers would be concluded today, and it’s still possible that one could go through this evening.

“It’s about creating more competition for places,” Stubbs, a Premier League centre-half in his own playing days, said. “Everybody needs challenging.

“From my experience, whenever I had another player come in in my position, first of all I want to strangle them, but secondly it was fantastic because I knew I had to up my game. That’s why competition is healthy.”

Right-back Darnell Fisher, who joined the Championship Millers on a three-year deal from Celtic yesterday, is expected to be in the squad for the Villa Park test, and Stubbs will also consider putting any other newcomer into his matchday 18.

Kirk BroadfootKirk Broadfoot
Kirk Broadfoot
Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Saturday’s clash pits Rotherham against Ross McCormack, the striker who has just commanded the biggest ever fee paid by a second-tier club and who will be making his home debut.

Stubbs wants facing the £11 million 29-year-old hitman to bring out the best in his team.

“If I was playing and they’d just signed the most expensive player in the Championship’s history, for me that’s a challenge,” the Millers manager said.

“There’s more incentive to go there, play well against him and make sure he doesn’t score. That’s the why I would have approached it as a player.

Kirk BroadfootKirk Broadfoot
Kirk Broadfoot
Hide Ad
Hide Ad

“I played against some decent players. It was a challenge. It didn’t scare me. I felt lucky to be given the chance to match myself against them. When you walk off the pitch at the end and you’ve won or you’ve kept a clean sheet, then it just makes it more satisfying.”

Villa, relegated last season fron the top flight, are one of the bookmakers’ favourites for promotion. But they lost 1-0 on the opening weekend of the season at Sheffield Wednesday, were knocked out of the EFL Cup 3-1 by Luton Town yesterday and haven’t won a competitive fixture since beating Norwich City in February.

Lee Frecklington misses out injured, but Kirk Broadfoot and Joe Mattock are expected to be fit.