Talks with targets and the hoped-for timescale for Rotherham United recruitment

The Millers have bid farewell to four players in the early stages of the new-year transfer window and are poised to lose midfielder Christ Tiehi after agreeing a fee with a club in Europe.

So far, there have been no incomings, but Evans – who had initially spoken of the first arrival happening within days of last Saturday's Huddersfield Town game – is optimistic that he will soon be strengthening his squad.

“We're working hard to bring players into the club and that work will continue,” he said. “I'm being given permission to talk to players – not that the deal has been done or anything like that, just have a chat.

“The one thing I have to be assured of is that they want to play here, that they want to play for this club, this badge, this town. That's as important to me as their ability. Players coming in have to deserve our supporters, not the other way around.

“Potentially, there will be business next week, but if it takes until the last week of the window, so be it. I'm hopeful we'll be moving things quickly ahead next week.”

Sixteenth-placed Rotherham head into tomorrow's League One home clash with Bolton Wanderers unbeaten in their last three games and seeking a win to maintain their push towards the top half of the table.

“If we can add to the group, we'll be in a good place to attack the second half of the season,” Evans said.

The boss says he is in near-daily contact with chairman Tony Stewart and vice-chairman Richard Stewart over recruitment.

Before an offer for Tiehi was accepted, Evans had been seeking to sign a midfielder, a centre-forward and a wide man.

He will push to make that two midfielders in the event of the sale going through as expected.

“One is a minimum,” he said. “If Christ does leave us, the likelihood is that it increases our number by one other.”