Freddie Ladapo doubt highlights Rotherham United squad's big weakness

Given that the Millers have started the season in a 3-5-2 formation Warne would like to keep playing, it is significant, but might be hard to address in the transfer window.

Warne's tone has grown noticeably more pessimistic in the opening week of the season.

Ladapo had a Covid-19 scare last week and although he tested negative, he was still feeling ill and therefore missed the 1-0 defeat at Wigan Athletic. As Warne spoke to the media on Monday morning, his striker was still not feeling at his best.

Particularly in a squad where, in keeping with many, plenty of players are reluctant to get fully vaccinated, and at a club whose relegation last season was heavily influenced by the knock-on effect of Covid-19 postponements, Warne admits it was a concern.

"Straight away you're thinking who did he sit with, who did he talk with?" he said.

"It's bad enough losing Freddie but it's like throwing a stone in a pond, the ripples can go on for ages.

"We won't be the only club this season, loads of clubs have already missed certain parts of pre-season.

"First and foremost my concern was for Freddie but he came over on Saturday and he was okay. Freddie's not feeling amazing again now, though, so we don't know if he'll be in the squad or not."

Rotherham have signed Shane Ferguson, Josh Chapman, Hakeem Odoffin, Rarmani Edmonds-Green, Ollie Rathbone and Tolaji Bola this summer.

"I'm just not so sure if we're going to get any more in," commented Warne. "We might be on the edge of one in, one out and it's not really one I want to let out so there's my problem.

"As always I think we'll see some movement in the next couple of weeks so there's teams will think we just need defensive cover, say, and to do that they might need to let a midfielder go... there's always movement.

"Everyone's always after a striker, that's the golden egg, so there's a lot of clubs fighting for a very small amount of players.

"It always starts at the top so the Prem boys have their players coming back after internationals, they wait to make sure they're fully fit, get the ones in they want and let their peripherals out and it filters down.

"I do expect some movement but whether we're involved in that, I don't know."

With regards to the fitness of the rest of his squad, Warne said: "I've got a couple of minor issues but no massive dramas."