Rotherham United in talks with their four wingers but they won't all be staying

ROTHERHAM United hope to resolve the futures of their out-of-contract wing quartet within days of the season ending as manager Paul Warne targets new signings on the flanks.
Jon TaylorJon Taylor
Jon Taylor

The relegated Millers sign off from the Championship at home to play-off-chasing Middlesbrough at AESSEAL New York Stadium on Sunday.

Warne will then turn his full focus to summer recruitment in his bid to build a squad capable of returning the second tier at the first time of asking next season.

The deals of Jon Taylor, Ryan Williams, Anthony Forde and Joe Newell are all due to expire. The boss doesn’t expect to keep all four players but would be happy for any of them to commit themselves to the club again.

Ryan Williams

"I'm fond of them all," he said. "They all did really well in League One. They've all done well in the Championship. They're all at a really good age. 

"I'm in talks with all four of them. The group have been together for two or three years now so I am going to change a few things. I'd like the skeleton of the team to be the same but there will be people who move on.

"I've had conversations with all the wingers. I'm hopeful that within a couple of days of the season finishing I should have a couple of them tied up.

"I am looking to bring in new wide men as well."

Warne would like all contract issues involving existing members of his squad to be wrapped up as soon as possible, freeing him up to look outside the club, with a striker top of his wish-list.

"I'm hoping that will be all tied up," he said. "I will then go and meet the targets and the recruitment process starts again."

Anthony Forde

The manager accepts that some of his players will leave in the close-season but wants to keep the core of his group together if he can.

He is prepared to shed some of his fringe men, which means players like midfielder Matt Palmer and forward Jerry Yates could be heading for the exit door.

Midfielder Will Vaulks, centre-halves Semi Ajayi and Clark Robertson and frontman Michael Smith could all attract bids from second-tier sides.

Joe Newell