Rotherham United sign striker Freddie Ladapo for club-record fee

New boy Freddie Ladapo. Picture by Jim Brailsford

The 6ft-plus striker joins the Millers on a three-year deal after hitting 19 goals for the Pilgrims as they were relegated from League One last season.

The fee is undisclosed but is believed to be around £500,000 with a further £150,000 in potential add-ons.

It surpasses the £400,000-plus figure Rotherham paid to take winger Jon Taylor from Peterborough United three years ago.

Twenty-six-year-old Ladapo, who will meet up with his new teammates when Paul Warne's squad report back for pre-season training on Thursday, is the Millers' third arrival of the summer, following deals for centre-forward Carlton Morris and midfielder Shaun MacDonald.

Setting a new spending high on a single player is a real statement of intent from Rotherham who are looking to win promotion from League One at the first attempt after last term's Championship relegation.

Ladapo said: "The club approached me in a very professional manner and sold me the dream of coming here and doing well.

"I have a lot of physical attributes. I have pace and strength and can run in behind and score goals."

Ladapo started out at Colchester United and then dropped into non-league football before being snapped up in 2016 by Premier League Crystal Palace, for whom he made one top-flight appearance.

Southend United was his next destination, in January 2018, but there were only three league starts for the Shrimpers until a move to Plymouth at the start of last season.

He came good at Home Park, scoring 18 goals in 42 league starts and also hitting the target once in the Carabao Cup.

The Millers fought off interest from several other clubs, including League One rivals Sunderland and Portsmouth, to land their man.

Pompey had agreed a fee with Plymouth last week but were unable to finalise personal terms with the forward.

Manager Warne said: "Freddie is someone we have tried to sign in the past. There have been numerous phone calls lately. We have been chasing him, along with many other clubs, for many weeks."