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Warne: I Would Expect Something to Develop on Crooks
Monday, 12th Jul 2021 11:22

Rotherham manager Paul Warne says there is nothing new regarding Matt Crooks, who is one of Town’s top summer targets and is also understood to be interesting Championship clubs, but expects “something to develop”.

Crooks, the subject of two rebuffed Blues offers - £400,000 and then a bid of either £500,000 or £600,000 - played the second half of an 11-0 Millers win at Parkgate on Saturday and afterwards Warne said the midfielder's situation remained unchanged.

“Nothing has moved on,” Warne told the Rotherham Advertiser. “As I stand here at the moment, there is no new news and Crooksy is getting on the plane to come away with us [on a pre-season trip] to Hungary.”

Warne has previously admitted Crooks could ultimately move on, although would prefer him to join a Championship side rather than a League One rival, however, the South Yorkshiremen are determined to achieve a significant fee, reportedly well into seven figures.

“I would expect something to develop,” Warne added. “The situation will take its natural flow and the chairman will decide as offers come in what is best for this football club. It's out of my pay grade.”

A further Town bid is inevitable - probably more than one as they look to reach a figure which will tempt the Millers - as the Blues chase a player they remain very hopeful of landing.

Crooks, who joined Rotherham from Northampton for £200,000 in January 2019 and has a year left on his contract, is near the top of Paul Cook’s summer wish list.

In addition to Town, Championship clubs Middlesbrough, Peterborough United, Derby County - who are currently subject to a transfer embargo - and Cardiff City have been linked with Warne last week claiming a bid, higher than the Blues' offers, had been turned down from a second tier club.

The Cobblers are understood to be due a percentage of the Millers' profit if and when they sell.

Elsewhere, former Town midfielder Adam McDonnell, 24, has joined League of Ireland Sligo Rovers after leaving National League Boreham Wood.

Former loanee Luke Thomas, 22, has joined League Two Bristol Rovers on a season-long loan from Barnsley.


Photo: Action Images



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hadleighboyblue added 11:32 - Jul 12
Rotherham are playing a clever game to get as much as they can .

Not sure we should be breaking the bank going anywhere near 7 figures to get him when we need so many more players , unless we get a decent fee in for one of the bomb squad

Would be great if we could offer a player in the deal to reduce the fee
3

bluewarrior added 11:47 - Jul 12
Whilst I am certain that Ashton doesn't want to be held to ransom on transfer fees (like anyone else) surely the issue is less the price and more the wages being demanded? I would be interested to know for certain if signing on fees are included in the salary cap (I would imagine they must be otherwise what's the point) but the real skill in building a competitive squad pretty much from scratch (apart from getting the players to tick as a team) is the balance between quality and quantity - smaller squad, better players obviously = bigger average wage but greater the risk of weakened teams through injury and suspension and having to rely on the kids. It's a fine line. However we managed to get through the 81/2 season with something like 13 players is simply extraordinary.
0

Hamish1979 added 11:53 - Jul 12
Your point about signing on fees is something I've been wondering about Blue warrior. If they're not included in the salary cap, you could in theory offer a relatively low wage with a big signing on fee to compensate. As you say though, this would rather destroy the point of the salary cap so I assume you can't do this.
2

Linkboy13 added 11:53 - Jul 12
You can't blame Rotherham for trying to get as much as they can and anyone who believes different are in cloud cockoo land. He's a proven player in the championship so a fee around the million mark is very realistic. We got a million for Dozy and he couldn't do it in league one . So i think if the club are not seriously interested in getting the player they should move on to somebody else as time is running out.
8

JewellintheTown added 12:02 - Jul 12
Think how much we paid for Jackson and how that's turned out.
With that in mind, if this guy is so pivotal, then simply upping the offer clearly isn't the only hurdle to getting him.
1

Karlosfandangal added 12:07 - Jul 12
Blue warrior

Our average wage bill should be a lot lower with 20 gone and only 6 in.
I would be surprised if we have offered wages much higher than before.
The money from selling Dozzell etc should cover the cost of players brought in.

I share your fears with the smaller squad but hope the new fitness team will eradicate our silly injury list.
0

Dog added 12:12 - Jul 12
11-0 win in a friendly against non-league opposition, with two completely different teams fielded each half.

Crooks got one.
0

Wickets added 12:13 - Jul 12
Patience is a virtue as they say .
1

ArnieM added 12:15 - Jul 12
The Norwich loving prat is trying to manipulate proceedings regarding Crooks isn't he. I hope he gets burnt fingers .
3

Dog added 12:34 - Jul 12
Wickets - patience has to be a virtue for town fans at the moment seeing we have not signed anyone in July yet.

Staying calm though.
1

Wooly74 added 12:34 - Jul 12
Totally agree Arnie
1

BaddowBlue1 added 12:49 - Jul 12
Is Warne a friend or relative of the former Blackpool Chairman when we were trying to sign TILT three years ago. Barnsley are in for DJ's son with a fee of over £2M being touted, I think that this is the deal Ashton was referring to when he talked about waiting on a deal which depended on another signing else where.
0

WhoisJimmyJuan added 13:00 - Jul 12
Bluewarrior/Hamish: interesting question. Of course the Americans are experts at creative accounting so who knows if they have ways round the cap!
0

BcarefulwhatUWish4 added 13:23 - Jul 12
Sounds like he scored in the 11-0 win.
0

Guthrum added 13:27 - Jul 12
Signing-on fees are included in SCMP, as are any in-kind benefits, such as homes, vehicles or or children's school fees, plus things like win and goal bonuses.

However, our turnover is also high by League One standards, giving us more leeway than most of our rivals.
0

Dissboyitfc added 13:33 - Jul 12
Bluewarrior and hamish it's not a wage cap, that was scrapped before it ever got off the ground, what you are talking about is FFP which doesn't allow for more than 60% of turnover to be spent on player wages, unfortunately a signing on fee would be taken into consideration, so no not away around what you can pay players!
0

Europablue added 13:51 - Jul 12
Linkboy13 He is on the last year of his contract, so I don't think you can compare him with Dozzel.
0

Europablue added 13:53 - Jul 12
It does seem like it is time to move on when 400k becomes 1 million
0

ArnieM added 15:28 - Jul 12
DissBoyITFC: which means the accusations levied at Town by Oxford and Pompey managers are just absurd aren't they . We are doing our business within the financial constraints . As someone else suggested it's a smokescreen for their level of activity in the transfer window . But we will without doubt be the team everyone wants to beat. Here's hoping the new players can cope , coz the squad of old was bloody hopeless.
0

ChateauWines added 15:49 - Jul 12
As I'm reading this it time rotherham getting worried he has been sold. Why tour a player you dont want to lose. We bid again and I think we get our man
-1

dirtydingusmagee added 16:26 - Jul 12
what ?
1

December1963 added 16:31 - Jul 12
Well thankfully Simon clegg isn't involved, we'd probably pay a million and end up with Garth Crooks
0

therein61 added 17:48 - Jul 12
Rotherham are holding out(their choice their player) to ship him to a championship team they don't want him coming to a promotion rival, but at the end of the day if he wants to come here then we have to stump up if we really want him.
0

Wickets added 20:00 - Jul 12
Dog Opps !!
0

Wickets added 20:16 - Jul 12
therein61 Rotherham need to sell him as he's in the last year of his contract . He will move on before the end of the transfer window but most likely well before that , or his value will plummet to about £200k I think we have to trust Ashden . Pure guess work from me but i think he will be a Town player in the next week or so .
0


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