Alan Stubbs hoping to land big target soon for ambitious Rotherham United

The Millers’ close-season recruitment may have been unremarkable so far this summer, but do not let it be said that major moves are not being made behind the scenes. Far from it.

Stubbs – who has so far landed just one player in ex–Walsall winger Anthony Forde – is hoping patience proves a virtue, with the Millers’ chief waiting on answers after submitting two bids for players, one of which he describes as “significant”.

While reluctant to indulge in further details in terms of positions, let alone names, the ex-Hibernian manager was unequivocal about one thing.

He says if the deal is signed off, it will comfortably break the £350,000 club record fee that the Millers paid for striker Jonson Clarke-Harris when they bought him from Oldham Athletic at the start of September 2014.

It remains to be seen who the mystery player is, with the Millers linked with a number of players during the close season, including in-demand Walsall forward Tom Bradshaw – who is also interesting Barnsley, among a number of other clubs – and Millwall’s Sheffield-born striker Lee Gregory, who also has many admirers.

Despite renewed speculation, one player who it definitely is not is Hibernian forward Jason Cummings.

Stubbs repeated the message he delivered when he became the Millers’ manager that he would not return to Easter Road to plunder the equivalent of the family silver.

On his bid to make a major transfer breakthrough, Stubbs, whose charges head out to Poland on Sunday for a pre-season tour, said: “We have at the moment got a couple of bids in for players.

“Obviously, I cannot say too much about them. One of them is significant. We are just waiting to hear back from them.”

On whether the fee would break the club’s record outlay, he acknowledged: “Yes. I would envisage that. Considerably.

“But I won’t go back for Jason. I have said all along I would not be going back. I am not about to change my mind.

“I know we have been linked with him over the last few days. It has certainly not come from us.”

Asked whether Bradshaw is a target, a rather less committal Stubbs added: “No comment. You can read into that what you want, rightly or wrongly.

“I cannot speak about individuals that are still at football clubs. It would be wrong to do that.

“As a football club we want to try to do our business the right way. All I will say is that we are trying to be very active right now.

“We have been waiting on one (target) for over a week now and it’s getting towards the stage where we will have to move on sooner or later.

“On some of them, I am prepared to wait a little bit longer because they will be worth the wait if we can get them.”

Stubbs has confirmed that former Hull City and Newcastle United player Ryan Taylor will accompany the first-team squad to Poland after linking up with the Millers in training this week.

The 31 year-old was released by Hull at the end of last season after making just four league appearances.

Stubbs said: “Ryan is a friend of mine. He has been in training with us for a couple of days.

“It is something we are looking at and he is going to come to Poland with us next week. If he impresses, it is an option.”

Ex-Huddersfield Town midfielder Duane Holmes has joined Scunthorpe United on a two-year deal.

Meanwhile, Town are considering a move for Borussia Dortmund’s Slovenia Under-21 defender Jon Gorenc Stankovic, according to reports in Germany.