Rotherham United: Paul Warne outlines the reasons why he recalled young striker from loan spell

Rotherham boss Paul Warne has called Joshua Kayode back from his loan spell at Gateshead to give him a chance to prove he is ready for the first-team.
Joshua Kayode. Pic: Jim BrailsfordJoshua Kayode. Pic: Jim Brailsford
Joshua Kayode. Pic: Jim Brailsford

Kayode, 19, scored two goals in three games for the National League North side, who were keen to keep him.

But Warne brought him back to South Yorkshire in order to see how he has developed.

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The striker is highly-rated by his boss and was on the bench for Rotherham's impressive 3-1 win over Oxford last Saturday.

Warne wants to take a closer a look at him, though has not ruled out another loan spell, possibly at an EFL club.

“There is a lot of interest in him and obviously Gateshead want to keep him,” Warne said.

“By getting him back for training for a few days, it allows me and the staff to have a look at home and decide where we think he is.

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“He's gone out and played really well three leagues below and he's been scoring goals.

“But, I don't mean any disrespect, he could be the same player who left here four months ago.

“I thought he was a good player then.

“I want to see him in and around the lads in training to see if he's come on. He might have come on more than we thought.”

Kayode has made just three substitute appearances for the Millers, all in the Football League Trophy and he is behind an impressive list of strikers – Michael Smith, Freddie Ladapo and Kyle Vassell – in the pecking order.

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Carlton Morris' recall to Norwich and subsequent move to MK Dons has potentially opened up the prospect of some minutes for the club if Warne thinks he is ready.

“If he has come on as well as we hope he has he might be a great fourth striking option for me,” he said.

“The game the other week against Hull he'd have been ideal to throw on up front on his own.

“He's so athletic that he might have been able to stretch the play for us.

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“I'm going to have a serious look at him and see what is best next for his development, whether that's going out on loan again or staying in the building.

“We're having a genuine look at him to see where he is. He's looked pretty colossal on loan, to be fair.”