How Paul Warne knew straightaway that new boy Viktor Johansson was the right fit for Rotherham United

PAUL Warne knew within minutes of setting eyes on Viktor Johansson that he would be signing the young Swede.
Viktor JohanssonViktor Johansson
Viktor Johansson

The goalkeeper had flown over from Sweden for a two-week trial with Rotherham United and the manager was immediately impressed.

"During the first practice game on his first day of training I told him I was going to give him a deal," Warne said. "I thought he was brilliant. He couldn't stop smiling."

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The Millers this afternoon announced that Johansson, formerly of Aston Villa and Leicester City, had passed a medical and put pen to paper on a two-year deal.

The 21-year-old, who has impressed in pre-season matches, is likely to be the understudy to loan arrival Jamal Blackman yet Warne can see him making the first team at some stage.

"He might not be 100 per cent ready to be our number one, but in all the games he's played in during pre-season he's been excellent," the boss said.

"He's a bubble of fizz. He comes off his line, his distribution is really good. He came over from Sweden and had to spend two weeks in a hotel, which he didn't blink at. 

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"He's got a really good story in that he came over from Sweden when he was just 15 to go to Aston Villa before then moving on to Leicester. 

"I spent a bit of time after training sitting outside in the sunshine at the back of Roundwood (training complex) with him. He just 'gets' us. He's just a really nice, positive kid.

"He wants the challenge. He understands that he's going to have to compete with Jamal. I see him as a goalkeeper who is going to be here for a few years. Hopefully he progresses under Andy (goalkeeper coach Warrington). It's a big development year for him."

Johansson, who played for Leicester's Under-21s but never made a senior appearance, was a free agent after leaving the Foxes in the summer.

He will be second in the Millers' keeper pecking order, with Lewis Price dropping to number three.