Rotherham United and the bid to keep Chiedozie Ogbene

ROTHERHAM United are going to their limit in their bid to persuade wanted man Chiedozie Ogbene that his future lies at AESSEAL New York Stadium.

The Millers’ star attacker is due to become a free agent after four seasons in South Yorkshire and is already attracting interest from bigger teams.

Manager Matt Taylor acknowledges the size of the task the club face in hanging on to the Republic of Ireland international and revealed they are coming up with the most lucrative terms they possibly can to tempt him to stay.

“We’ll put our best offer in front of Chieo,” he said. “What a fantastic situation for him to be in. He’s got the security blanket of the best we can achieve and I know he’s got suitors elsewhere in the higher echelons of professional football.

“Full credit to him, he fully deserves it.”

Ogbene turned 26 on the day Rotherham sealed their Championship safety by beating Middlesbrough. He limped out of that match with a hamstring tear and was unavailable for Monday’s last-day trip to Wigan Athletic.

Taylor has made decisions on which players he wants to keep for the 2023/24 campaign and was planning to meet with them on Tuesday and yesterday, having already made offers to two members of his squad last week.

“I think we’re pretty much there in terms of knowing which existing players we want to be working with at the start of next season,” he said. “We’re in the process of offering them new contracts.”

The boss has revealed previously that he would like to see some of this year’s loanees return to New York but chose not to comment on specific names out of respect for their parent clubs.

Centre-half Grant Hall, whose contract is coming to an end at Middlesbrough, is among those who have particularly impressed him.

Taylor says new faces will arrive throughout the off-season. The Millers’ recruitment hand has been strengthened by the fact they are a more attractive proposition for better-quality players now that they have retained their second-tier status after three relegations in six years from the division.

“I hope staying up allows us to build,” he said. “We’ve been a yo-yo club, everyone knows that. I hope outside eyes will see a club going in the right direction, although I understand we’re still in a certain position in the pecking order of the Championship.”