Paul Warne's positive hopes regarding Rotherham United players signing new deals

ROTHERHAM UNITED manager Paul Warne remains confident that contract negotiations with several players will reach a positive conclusion in the weeks ahead.

A number of Millers players are out of contract in the summer including Freddie Ladapo, Chiedozie Ogbene, Michael Smith, Jamie Lindsay, Michael Ihiekwe, Kieran Sadlier, Viktor Johansson, Joe Mattock, Josh Kayode and Mikel Miller, while veteran defender Richard Wood is reportedly on the brink of agreeing fresh terms.

Warne said: "I always like to think yes as I see the good in people and like to take people for their word. I do think we are pretty close. I spoke to a couple in the last few weeks, who did not disrespectfully say no but just did not seem as keen in engaging in conversation. But I will revisit them again in January.

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"If we are fortunate enough to get some players to re-sign, I think it might be a bit more of an avalanche.

Paul Warne.Paul Warne.
Paul Warne.

"I also understand that a lot of them are ambitious and want to play in the Championship. Being at the top of the league makes conversations more positive and they think they have a chance of going up."

Meanwhile, Warne remains pretty relaxed ahead of the January transfer window and says the club are under no pressure to sell any players, while in an ideal world, he would like to bring one specific player to boost his already strong squad.

He added: "I am not going into it with any fear. I have had some candid conversations with some players. As always, under the surface, we are trying to renegiotiate contracts with players all the time.

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"I have got a really good, honest relationship with the cahriamn and he has given me no inclination at all that we need to sell anyone and a sale will only happen if it's absolute lunacy (money).

"Weprobably only haveone position on the pitch, which I'd like to keep to myself, where if I could strengthen if I could. But apart from that, there's no dramas. Thje only drama is if players get frustrated.

"But at the moment, we have players like Haks (Hakeem Odoffin) and T(Tolaji Bola) and probably Joe Mattock, to a certain extent, who aren't playing as many minutes as they'd like. But their attitude is absolutely spot-on and if we are going to be successful, it is going to take everhone untul the end of the season.

"I want to keep my group together and if I don't bring anyone in, great. I will take the same group at the end of January and I don't see any problems. But I am also long enough in the tooth in this job to know thwre is going to be one curve ball and one day in the January wiundow where I am going to get a pjhone call or something and we are going to have to discuss and chat. But fortunatey, all out players are contracted to us and we have only got two loans, so unless the loans get called back, we are in control of our own destinty.

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