Cherry Thomas picks Millers to bolster Evans’s strike force

The 26-year-old, restricted to just two starts this season for the Cherries, was given the green light to speak to the Millers by manager Eddie Howe and has signed on at the New York Stadium for the rest of the season.

Barking-born Thomas would have been out of contract at Dean Court in the summer and was unlikely to earn a new contract with the Cherries, who have now effectively enabled him to try to get fixed up with a long-term deal.

On his arrival, Millers manager Steve Evans, who previously signed Thomas while at Crawley back in 2011 when he bought him from Cheltenham Town, said: “Wes is an excellent signing and I thank our chairman for his continued support.

“The lad had several options, but he has decided to join us and we are all delighted.

“Our talks will continue into Wes being here for much longer than the summer, but at least he is here until the end of the season.

“The fact that the lad wanted to join us straight away and allow his representatives to continue talking to us is a great sign.”

Swindon Town recently saw a bid to sign Thomas in the region of £100,000 turned down by Bournemouth.

The forward was also believed not to be keen on moving to the Wiltshire club, who had also shown interest in him last summer.

Yeovil boss Gary Johnson has also registered interest in the player, while Wolves were linked with a move earlier this month.

Despite making just a couple of starts for Bournemouth in 2013-14, Thomas has been a regular in their match-day squad and made nine substitute appearances.

He has yet to find the net this season, with his last goal coming back in April during a loan spell at Birmingham City, where he hit three goals in 11 matches.

As well as the Blues, Thomas also spent temporary stints at Blackpool and Portsmouth last term, notching a combined total of nine goals, and looked set to join the Tangerines permanently until manager Michael Appleton left the club to join Blackburn.