Town are reported to have made a £400,000 offer to Rotherham United for midfielder Matt Crooks, a bid which falls well short of the Millers' valuation.

The Blues have been in discussions with the South Yorkshiremen, who were relegated to League One in 2020/21, regarding Crooks since early in the month but, according to the Rotherham Advertiser, their initial bid of £400,000 is said to be well below the South Yorkshire club’s price-tag.

TWTD understands talks remain ongoing and Town appear to be in a strong position to get their man.

Championship sides Middlesbrough and Peterborough are also understood to be interested but have not yet made a move and Derby have been linked but are currently subject to a transfer embargo, while League One Sunderland have also been mentioned as among the suitors.

Rotherham manager Paul Warne says his club is is not in a position where they need to sell and are less than keen on allowing a player to move to a rival League One side.

“We don’t want to lose our best assets, even more so not to a League One rival. That would make it ridiculous,” he told the Advertiser.

“However, as with everything, there is a figure where it becomes impossible not to let it happen. As far as I am aware, no one is anywhere near that figure yet.”

Leeds-born Crooks, who has a year left on his Rotherham contract, begins pre-season training with his Millers team-mates today.

Crooks, who can operate either in defensive or attacking midfield roles, was a schoolboy with Manchester United’s academy before moving on to Huddersfield with whom he made one senior appearance.

While with the Terriers he spent time on loan at FC Halifax, Radcliffe Borough and Accrington before joining Stanley on a permanent basis in 2016.

In July 2016 he joined Rangers in Scotland but six months later he departed for a loan spell at Scunthorpe having been unable to make an impression at Ibrox.

A switch to Northampton followed in the summer of 2017 before he moved on to Rotherham in January 2019 and was a member of the side which won promotion to the Championship the next season, scoring both goals - out of a campaign total of 11 - in the Millers’ 2-0 victory over the Blues at Portman Road.

In 2020/21, Crooks netted seven times as the South Yorkshiremen dropped back into League One.

In March it was reported that Rotherham had held preliminary talks with Crooks regarding a new deal in the wake of the interest from Nottingham Forest.

Photo: Action Images

fergalsharkey added 17:37 - Jun 30 Just do swap deal with Downes. Get rid, he needs a move to understand there is a world out there.
1

Karlosfandangal added 17:42 - Jun 30 How many midfielders do we need, that will make 4 are any of our new signings winger. Need a couple of Centre Backs not sure Woolfenden and Nsila are the ones to help make Portman Road a fortress
1

Skip73 added 17:50 - Jun 30 Saxon; isn't it nice to think that other clubs know we've got cash after the last decade under tight ar$3 Evans?
1

gosblue added 18:01 - Jun 30 Relegated to league one, one year left on his contract and. not signed a new deal yet. How many times have e seen that at town. We have let their contracts run down, they haven't wanted to be here and they go for nothing at the end of a poor season. To me £400k is a good offer. I wouldn't go much higher. Next.
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ArnieM added 18:27 - Jun 30 Except he will likely go to a championship club…….
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Billericay12 added 18:43 - Jun 30 In the world of buying and selling, it is called haggling !!! You don't go balls out with your first offer. The fact that we have made an offer shows some intent to get the process going. I am sure we have a few who could go in part exchange ?
2

chepstowblue added 18:59 - Jun 30 That's a flamin insult of a bid. Don't piddle about on this one and allow other clubs to muscle in.
-2

BeattiesBackPocket added 19:00 - Jun 30 Harry10 do you understand how ffp works? This is speculation for one anyway you need to chill out no one said that was our limitations either?? I don't think anyone was expecting 2 million pound signings until we go up as the fee means huge wage as well. Get real
1

Ipswichbusiness added 19:03 - Jun 30 Everyone should try to remember that he has only a year left on his contract; this time next season he can leave on a free. Rotherham's negotiation position is not as good as it might look.
3

BcarefulwhatUWish4 added 19:05 - Jun 30 Good player but we need to get the right price for him. We still need to bring in a number of other players across the squad.
0

Nobbysnuts added 19:26 - Jun 30 We need this signing. Just get it done.
0

ThaiBlue added 19:49 - Jun 30 This guy is quality box 2 box and scores goals just what we need,give them 800k job done,400k is a bit insulting 2 be fair.
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Town4me added 20:59 - Jun 30 Beattiesbackpocket and the other two plebs who down ticked markchips. Can you not recognise sarcasm when someone's typing it?? 🤦‍♂️😅
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1psw1ch added 21:15 - Jun 30 sign him ASAP before some other club nabs him
1

chepstowblue added 21:32 - Jun 30 The marks down dont bother me. I'm aware that football is a business; a crooked one at that. If we expect to get to get 1-2 million for Downes and then offer 400k for a player with infinitely more ability I'd call that a flamin insult to Rotherham. If it gets the deal done then great. If I was them I'd tell us to 'shove it'. If we don't get him purely because we're attempting to hold them to ransom; that stinks.

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ITFC_95 added 21:58 - Jun 30 Having new owners and cleared debt after covid is definitely working in our favour. Players like Harper and crooks (even with a year left on his contract) would have cost at least 2/3 times the fees reported here. Seems like the perfect time for new owners to come in and continue the spending while other clubs cannot afford to say no.
1

blueboy1981 added 23:31 - Jun 30 £400,000 is a derisory offer - let's get real nearer £700,000 is realistic, and there is competition for this player. Come on Ipswich - get real ... if we mean business !!
1

blueboy1981 added 23:35 - Jun 30 HARRY10 ...... that is so true, and factual !!
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TractorRoyNo1 added 00:12 - Jul 1 Half the price of Dozza must make him a world beater
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KiwiBlue2 added 00:41 - Jul 1 In all the commercial deals I have done I have always started low with a ceiling price in mind. The trick is to pitch the first bid as low as you can without offending the seller and to work from there. If Rotherham want c1m then you are probably looking to try and settle around 800k, assuming they do in fact want to sell. Always remember that in this process you can always up the bid but it is very difficult to go back down and retain credibility. None of this is rocket science but on the basis that every player has his price c800k must be tempting in the present environment so lets see.

1

austractor added 01:40 - Jul 1 400 as an opening bid in this financial climate and with him in the last year of his deal is not so surprising to get things started. Confident that if they really want him Ashton will know the right price and get it done but you don't start with your highest bid. I think a midfield containing this guy, Evans and Harper would be the most balanced we have seen since we paired Magic with King Matt

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shakytown added 02:07 - Jul 1 Tractorroy. Who is this dozza bloke???Oh thats right a former player whose sole purpose in every game to to tug as many shirts as possible. Good riddance to him.
1

shakytown added 02:17 - Jul 1 Dave from Watford. I think the problem with Downes is not ability it's attitude. Like many others he was challenged by the manager to prove he wants to play here and did not stand up to be counted. Sorry but has to go no matter what.
1

ChrisFelix added 09:01 - Jul 1 Why not swop him for Jackson
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Linkboy13 added 09:05 - Jul 1 Unless we offer him ridiculous money he's going to the championship. Any player with any common sense, should always play at the highest level possible. You may think different if you haven't played the game before.
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