Rotherham United transfer news: Ollie Rathbone's new club confirmed as Millers look to get better at selling

To lose the Manchester United youth product to a League One rival after three years at the New York Stadium is a blow, but one the Millers are well placed to recover from with money in the bank and a shopping list of potential replacements already lined up.

In recent years, the Millers have been poor sellers, losing the likes of Chiedozie Ogbene, Michael Ihiekwe and Michael Smith on free transfers – in Ogbene's case to then-Premier League Luton Town. This summer Viktor Johansson left for around £750,000 – way below his market value – because Rotherham had inserted a low release clause in the goalkeeper's last contract as a trade-off to keep him.

Chairman Tony Stewart told Evans to change that culture, and standing firm on his valuation of 27-year-old midfielder Rathbone, in the last year of his contract, has been the first real test.

Wrexham are understood to have broken their £300,000 transfer record to sign him.

"We'd proposed a new contract. Ollie made it clear that the move was something he wanted to pursue," explained Evans.

"I think if there is one criticism of Rotherham United at board level it's that they've allowed contracts to run down in the past and good players have left for very low fees or nothing. Part of my remit in coming back here, given to me by the chairman, was to maximise values all across the playing side of the club.

"When I was asked to place a valuation on Ollie, I did. Our board members told me that that valuation had been met by the interested club."

Despite having signed 13 players already this summer, Evans was still on the lookout for another winger and a player to operate behind the strikers as he reshapes his relegated squad for life in League One.

Work is well under way for a new midfielder too, with Wrexham's offer not coming out of the blue.

"We've probably seen this coming for the best part of maybe a week in all honesty,” said Evans. “They upped their bid several times to get to the value.

"We can't have that going on in the background and do nothing about it, that would be criminal."

Sheffield Wednesday's former Hull City, Barnsley, Doncaster Rovers and Leeds United player Mallik Wilks is on their list of wingers, but negotiations have not got very far yet.

"We like Mallik, we like him a lot, but we probably can't afford his left boot, never mind his right!" joked Evans. "We can't seem to get a defined yes or no (from Wednesday).

"I'd have probably already thrown my dummy out and walked away but Rob (Scott, Rotherham’s head of recruitment) will do what he does.

"Mallik's a player we like but there's two or three players in that role Malik plays we like too."

Although Rotherham's season starts at Exeter City on Saturday, the transfer window is open until 11pm on August 30.