Rotherham United manager Paul Warne says he’d like to bid to keep currently-on-loan Blues striker Kieffer Moore at the New York Stadium in January but is yet to speak to his chairman Tony Stewart about how far he might be willing to go to land the 25-year-old, the top scorer in the top four English leagues, on a permanent basis.
Town boss Mick McCarthy revealed before the international break that he plans to bring Moore, who he signed from Forest Green Rovers for £20,000 in January, back to Portman Road once the transfer window opens, ending his season-long loan with the Millers early.
However, the Blues manager left the door open to Torquay-born Moore, who has scored 13 times in 17 League One starts and one sub appearance this season, leaving Town on a permanent basis if "somebody comes in and offers a bonkers deal for him”.
Warne says he’s not sure what that type of offer might be and is yet to hold discussions regarding what his club might be able to pay to keep the one-time Yeovil man.
"I don’t know what a bonkers bid is for Kieffer,” he told the Sheffield Star. "I don’t know if a bonkers bid is £200,000, £500,000. I just don’t know.
"I haven’t had that conversation with the chairman to see how far he wants to go. I presume there will be a few bidding and it will be open.
"It’s hard to translate what bonkers means in figures, but I would like to think we will try to keep him.”
A number of other clubs, Plymouth Argyle, Port Vale, Stevenage and Partick Thistle among them, were interested in signing Moore on loan in the summer and could be among those who are keen in January.
Warne added: "Obviously we would like to bid and keep him here, but not if it goes unrealistic. If a club come in and bid over a million pounds, then I can’t imagine us being involved. But then again we might be.”
Moore is contracted to Town until next summer with the club having an option to keep him for a further season.