Rotherham United could be set for striker exodus, with no guarantees over Michael Smith’s future

The Millers striker, who has been the star man this season, is out of contract in the summer and has so far rejected all advances from the club over a new deal.

Warne will park all contract negotiations with all of his players until they know for sure which division they will be in next season - with their march to League One promotion having hit a stumbling block in recent weeks.

The club would be able to offer him a significantly better deal if they were in the Championship, but that is still likely to be dwarfed by almost every other club in the second tier.

“If we go up would it be easier to get Smudge to sign? Maybe, but it easy enough, I don't know,” Warne mused.

“Me and him are pretty close, we have had many conversations, we are both honest. But it will be a conversation I have with him when we know where we at.

“It will make it easier because the finances in the Championship for us are more competitive than in League One but if another club wants to come and splash the cash it will be difficult.

“It doesn't mean we can't be creative and try to keep him. But I also know if his time is up and he does go in the summer he goes with everyone's fond wishes, he has been brilliant for us.

“I hope that isn't the case but we will wait and see.”

If Warne does lose Smith, he is set for a striker shortage in the summer, with Freddie Ladapo also likely to move on and Will Grigg’s loan from Sunderland expiring.

The Millers boss says he may turn his attention to a different type of striker in the transfer market.

“It might be that we sign a different type of player, play a different way to accommodate for the fact that we haven't got an archetypal number 9.

“They are a dying breed, there aren't many teams that play with an out and out 9.”

Meanwhile, the Millers have sold 11,300 tickets for their Papa John's Trophy final with Sutton at Wembley next weekend.