Curtis Tilt signs for Rotherham United

ROTHERHAM United tonight ended their eight-month pursuit of Curtis Tilt by landing the centre-half in the closing hours of the transfer window.

The defender has signed a contract at AESSEAL New York Stadium until 2023 and becomes the League One Millers' third and final January arrival after loan wingers Hakeeb Adelakun and Josh Koroma.

Rotherham thought they had a deal in place for the 28-year-old before the start of the season but Blackpool's new owners pulled the plug on the move at the last minute.

His Seasiders contract was due to expire in the summer and the Advertiser understands the Millers have paid far less for his services than the £300,000 they were previously offering.

Tilt had rejected new terms at Blackpool where he played for a spell alongside Clark Robertson who joined Rotherham in 2018.

Millers manager Paul Warne never lost interest in the stopper but thought he might have to wait until the end of the campaign before capturing his man.

The boss told a fans forum earlier this month that he didn't think Blackpool would allow Tilt to join a promotion rival during the season.

However, the Seasiders have slipped out of the play-off picture and have decided to cash in while they can on a player who had his heart set on a switch to South Yorkshire.

The announcement of the deal was held up this afternoon while the club waited for the results of the player's medical to come through.

The Walsall-born former quarry worker played non-league football between 2015 and 2017 but was an instant success when he moved to Bloomfield Road and at one stage Ipswich Town, then in the Championship, were prepared to pay £1 million for him.

He made 111 appearances for Blackpool and was a key figure before falling out of favour under manager Simon Grayson a couple of months ago.

His signing has come too late for him to be eligible for tomorrow's home match with Burton Albion. He will attend the match along with fellow new boy Koroma who completed his temporary switch to New York from Championship Huddersfield Town earlier this evening.

A Rotherham fringe player could head out before tonight's 11pm deadline but the table-topping Millers expect to hang on to all of their main men.

Meanwhile, midfielder Matt Palmer, who had been on loan at Bradford City, has had his New York contract cancelled by mutual consent.