Rotherham United transfer news: Jordan Hugill provides proven goal record and greater flexibility for Millers

Hugill joins on a permanent deal from Norwich City, and has signed a contract until the end of the 2025-26 season.

He follows the signings of Sean Morrison and loanees Leo Hjelde and Tariqe Fosu as manager Matt Taylor looks to reshape a squad built around predecessor Paul Warne's preferred 3-1-4-2 formation.

Taylor has switched to a back four recently and as well as adding a proven goalscorer, Hugill also frees up Chiedozie Ogbene to play wide.

Hugill has Premier League experience with the Canaries and West Ham United but his time in the second tier will be most valuable as the Millers try to establish themselves in the Championship.

The centre-forward has had loans with his hometown club Middlesbrough, Queens Park Rangers, West Bromwich Albion and Cardiff City having initially made his name at Preston North End, where he scored 23 goals in 103 league appearances.

The Millers are still to properly replace the goals lost when last season’s top-scorer, Michael Smith stepped down a division to join neighbours Sheffield Wednesday on a free transfer in the summer.

Warne signed Tom Eaves and Conor Washington to try to plug the gap. Washington has five league goals this season but former Hull striker Eaves is yet to find the net for his new club.

Georgie Kelly has weighed in with three goals but is still new at this level. Ogbene has six.

Attacking midfielder Ben Wiles was being used as an auxiliary centre-forward before picking up the ankle injury which threatens to end his season.

The Millers are still hoping to do more business but the main focus now may be trying to keep hold of their prize assets with Ogbene and Dan Barlaser in the final months of their contracts.

Middlesbrough are interested in both, having already had one bid for deep-lying playmaker Barlaser, who hails from Gateshead, turned down.

Rotherham have to weigh a missed transfer fee up against the cost of relegation from the Championship, in the region of £6m-£7m.