Rotherham boss Paul Warne has revealed his club has made an improved bid for Blues striker Kieffer Moore, who he says wants to return to the Millers. The 25-year-old scored 13 goals in a hugely successful loan spell at the New York Stadium prior to the turn of the year before being recalled by Town.
Warne is aware that other League One clubs are also interested in Moore with Charlton, Scunthorpe and Bradford previously mentioned as potential suitors, while Peterborough and Wigan have now been linked. There are also Championship clubs among those who have been keeping tabs on the striker, who joined the Blues for £20,000 from Forest Green Rovers last January.
"I know there are three other clubs in for him in our league,” Warne told the Sheffield Star. "It’s not just us who know about him. He is scoring all the goals, so everyone knows him.
"We have got competition. Kieffer wants to come back. I texted him on Sunday and sent him his five best things he has done at the club. I am well aware of what an effect he had at the club, so if we can get him back we will.”
He added: "We have got a much-improved bid in. I am led to believe it is one of the best. Ipswich will come back to us.
"In the ideal world, if I am not going to get Kieffer I would like to know now, but I have got a funny feeling it will drag on for a few weeks.
"There is room for negotiation. But we will go to what the value is and what we can spend. If someone comes in with crazy money, then we are not going to compete.
"If someone offers crazy money, they will back that up with crazy wages and I am not going to have a player on double what the next best is on. I will not have that at this club.”
Warne says he is speaking with Town boss Mick McCarthy on a regular basis: "I am speaking to Mick every other day. Fans can rest easy that we are trying our best. If that isn’t good enough, then so be it.”
Moore, who is contracted to the Blues until the end of the season with Town having an option to keep him for a further year, is not expected to feature at Fulham this evening.
If the 6ft 5in tall frontman does play for Town he won’t be able to play for anyone else other than Rotherham this season due to FIFA’s three-club rule, which restricts players to appearing for only two teams over the course of a season.
Therefore, so as not to reduce the interested parties, it’s highly unlikely that Moore will add to his 11 sub appearances for the Blues unless McCarthy decides not to sell him.