The latest on Matt Crooks and what's happening with Rotherham United trialist Reece Hutchinson

WANTED man Matt Crooks is expected to be part of the Rotherham United party that flies out for a Budapest boot camp tonight despite interest in the midfielder hotting up.
Matt CrooksMatt Crooks
Matt Crooks

The bids are starting to come in for the 27-year-old and last week a Championship club bettered two previous ones made by League One Ipswich Town.

However, all three offers have been rejected and he remains a Millers player for now.

"Nothing has moved on," said manager Paul Warne after watching his side open their pre-season schedule with an 11-0 win over Parkgate FC at Roundwood on Saturday afternoon.

"As I stand here at the moment, there is no new news and Crooksy is getting on the plane to come away with us to Hungary."

Crooks, a scorer against the Steelmen, is in the final year of his contract and looking to stay in the Championship following Rotherham's relegation from that division last term.

The Millers accept he could leave but are adamant they won't sell on the cheap and want a fee well into seven figures for a player who cost them around £200,000 when they signed him from Northampton Town in January 2019.

"I would expect something to develop," Warne said. "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."

Ipswich made an initial £400,000 bid and then upped it to £500,000 or £600,000.

The offer from a Championship fell short of Rotherham's valuation but was considerably more than the figure tendered by the Tractor Boys.

The Millers must factor into any negotiations the fact that Northampton will be due a sell-on fee in the event of a sale.

Meanwhile, a trialist, Reece Hutchinson, played the second half against Parkgate and Warne hopes to take another look at the left-back after the first-team squad's return from Budapest next weekend.

"I'll be speaking to him," the boss said. "If he's potentially still available when we come back and he wants to come in for us to have another look at him we'll go down that route.

Reece Hutchinson. Picture: Derby Telegraph

"It's hard to judge him on 45 minutes against Parkgate. His attitude was spot on and I thought he played really well.  However, I do know he might end up going somewhere else."

Rotherham are seeking competition for Joe Mattock after allowing Trevor Clarke to join League Two Bristol Rovers.

"We definitely need at least one addition on the left side and we may need two," Warne said.

Hutchinson, aged 21, is a free agent after parting company with League One Burton Albion.

He made 31 appearances for the Brewers in 2018/19 and 23 in 2019/20 but only two last term.