Contracts talks and his best position ... Rotherham United boss Steve Evans has more to say about Hakeem Odoffin

The 26-year-old covered for centre-back Sean Raggett, who is out for around a fortnight after having keyhole surgery on his knee, in last weekend's win over Northampton.

His manager appears ready to keep him in the backline rather than end out-of-favour Cameron Humphreys' first-team exile.

“Haks has come in at centre-half and looks like he's found his true role,” said Evans this morning. “He really looks at home there.”

Odoffin is primarily a midfielder but has also operated as a right-back and a right wing-back this season while also finding himself occasionally thrust up front during matches.

“He can play in every position," Evans said. “I was thinking of buying him a set of goalkeeper gloves for Christmas!”

Odoffin is out of contract in the summer and Evans, who takes his 17th-place side to Mansfield Town tomorrow, wants to him to remain at AESSEAL New York Stadium.

However, an offer has yet to be made and the manager has spoken again about the Millers needing to be higher in League One before there are developments.

“I'm not sweating about it and I don't think the chairman is either," the manager said.

“With Haks, the time will come when this club puts itself in a position in the table that makes myself and (director of football recruitment) Rob Scott feel comfortable enough to speak to the board and say: ‘We should be doing something about this.’

“Haks is feeling relaxed about it. We have serious conversations about it and banter about it.”

Odoffin was noncommittal about his future when asked by the Advertiser earlier in the campaign about the prospects of him remaining at New York.

Evans referenced midfield man Ollie Rathbone, who departed for Wrexham in the summer, as he discussed the issue further.

"The DNA of this club is that you have to want to be here," he said. "That's the absolute minimum.

“Take Ollie ... he was superb for me in the games I had him for, his attitude was fantastic. Then he sat in my office and said: ‘I don't want to be here, I want to be in North Wales.’

“My stance was ‘Go to North Wales if you don't want to be here.’ I still speak to the kid, he's a great lad. But you have to want to be here.”