Rotherham United v MK Dons: Early strike targets in Warne's sights

While mindful that top-scorer Kieffer Moore will serve the final match of his three-game ban this afternoon and will be back in the fray for the Yuletide trips to Bury and Walsall, the Millers chief is facing up to the stark prospect that he is unlikely to see key midfielder Darren Potter back in action again until January.

Thankfully, Moore will at least be on the pitch again shortly, but Warne is busy making contingencies for his impending exit back to parent club Ipswich at the start of January and admits he is hoping to strike early in the market.

Warne said: “Ideally I would have a striker on the earliest possible day. We need two strikers and ideally we would have them as soon as January starts. The sooner I can get someone in to compete, the better.”

Departures of some fringe players who have struggled for game time is also a distinct possibility next month, with defender Manny Onariase having already been linked with a move to League Two side Cheltenham Town.

Onariase, who started out as a trainee at West Ham United, made 24 appearances for the Robins on loan last season and has found opportunities extremely scant with the Millers after signing a two-year deal.

On Onariase, whose two sole appearances have come in the Checkatrade Trophy, Warne added: “Nothing has been cemented on that yet, (but) I know he has played there before.

“He does need to play games, so I am open to the idea of him going out on loan but that has not been finalised yet.

“Players will possibly go out, but nothing which has been done yet.”