Creative midfield man Joe Powell joins summer influx at Rotherham United
ATTACKING midfielder Joe Powell has become the latest player to join Rotherham United’s ranks for their assault on League One next season.
The 25-year-old is joining up on a two-year deal after leaving Burton Albion, where he has been a regular for the last few seasons.
Schooled at West Ham, Powell joined the Brewers for an undisclosed fee in 2020 and is well into three figures in terms of appearances, including 51 last term as Burton just escaped relegation.
He will want to be competing at the other end of the table with his switch to Rotherham.
Millers boss Steve Evans drew comparisons with the new man and Ben Pringle, one of the stand-out players of his double-promotion winning side of more than ten years ago.
“Joe has just had a couple of wonderful seasons at Burton and been outstanding for them,” said Evans.
“He has a left-foot wand; he’s Ben Pringle-esque in terms of his left foot and, of course, supporters from my last time at Rotherham will fondly remember Ben.
“Ben played wider than what Joe does but his set-piece deliveries, he’ll put them on the money every time.”
Evans has already signed a midfielder in Shaun McWilliams from Northampton Town while another new arrival, Reece James from Sheffield Wednesday, can also do a job in the middle of the park.
Powell brings something a little different.
“He has good energy and he’ll pick a pass,” added Evans. “He’s a very creative player.”
The tally of new signings now stands at six in the club’s quickest start to a summer transfer window in years.
Added Evans: "I have to credit the chairman and the board.
"When I had the opportunity to come back here it was never about what my personal terms were. It was whether the chairman and the board were going to be delivering and he has always done that. He has always stood up and told me to go and build a squad and I feed back into the chairman and the board on a daily basis.
"We’ve done some really good work so far.”