Ollie Rathbone on his new-deal talks with Rotherham United

KEY man Ollie Rathbone has confirmed he wants to remain with Rotherham United and sign an extended contract at AESSEAL New York Stadium.  

Talks over a new deal for the midfielder who was made captain by Matt Taylor during last season's Championship survival mission are taking place.

Rathbone describes negotiations as being in the “early stages” but says he hopes they come to a successful conclusion in the not-too-distant future.

“Yes, I'd say I'd like to stay,” he told the Advertiser. “Hopefully we can get something sorted soon.”

Taylor has said he would like the situation to be resolved by the close of the summer transfer window on September 1.

Rathbone has been a revelation in a red-and-white shirt since joining the club from Rochdale in 2021. His contract runs for another year but Rotherham have a 12-month option which means the 26-year-old is effectively their player until 2025.

Discussions originally began in January, and the influential player said then he was keen to sign, raising supporters' hopes that he would be putting pen to paper around that time.

However, negotiations were then put on the back-burner as the Millers concentrated all their efforts on retaining their place in the second tier.

“Talks have remained in the early stages because of the focus on staying up followed by the summer break,” Rathbone said. “Maybe that's why it's taking longer than people thought it would.

“I don't feel under pressure in terms of running down my contract. I don't think that will be the case. The manager knows I'm very happy here and very happy working with him and the players.”

Rathbone has made 93 appearances in two seasons with Rotherham, winning League One promotion in his first year and playing a major part in the safety push in his second. Taylor describes him as the kind of player he’d like to build a team around.

Another midfield man, Ben Wiles, has also been offered a fresh deal. There is more urgency in his case because Rotherham have already taken out their option on their home-grown talent and could lose him for no fee at the end of next season.

Addressing the situation of both players, Taylor said: “I expect discussions to progress one way or the other in the next couple of months, certainly towards the end of the window. We're comfortable in our own skin and so are Ollie and Ben.”

Wiles missed nearly four months of last season because of an ankle injury, while Rathbone's involvement in the run-in was curtailed by a groin issue.

The pair are fit again and have impressed in the first two weeks of pre-season training.

“We seem, touch wood, to have got to the bottom of their problems,” Taylor said. “Both seem fit and raring to go. They've come back with positive, sharp mentalities and their games look in good order.”