Peter Kioso back with Rotherham United as Millers cut short his Peterborough United loan spell

Confirmation came at 6pm this evening that the right-back is returning to AESSEAL New York Stadium to help the depleted Millers in their battle for second-tier survival.

The 24-year-old had excelled in Peterborough's League One promotion push since his summer switch and had been made captain at London Road.

However, Rotherham have been hit by an injury crisis and have chosen to bring back a player who has the talent to break into their first team.

Senior right-back Lee Peltier is among their men in the treatment room and young loanee Dexter Lembikisa hasn't been defensively up to the task of covering that position.

The Millers made their decision last month but couldn't act until the January transfer window opened for business.

They resisted pressure from Peterborough who were desperate to hang on to Kioso and claimed publicly that the player wanted to remain out on loan.

It’s understood Rotherham declined a request from Posh to allow Kioso to play in their FA Cup third-round home tie against Leeds United this Sunday.

The former Luton Town man was given the green light to leave New York in the summer by then-manager Matt Taylor who didn't believe the defender was ready for Championship football after an injury-affected first year in S60.

However, new head coach Leam Richardson obviously thinks otherwise and Kioso's first chance to wear a Millers shirt again will come in the home league clash with Stoke City a week on Saturday.

He can't feature in Friday night's FA Cup clash at Premier League Fulham because of his previous involvement in the competition this season for Posh.