Rotherham United's seventh summer signing can pull the strings, says manager Steve Evans

The Millers pulled off a considerable coup when they signed midfielder Kelly on a free transfer after five years as Coventry City's club captain.

Evans revealed even former Rotherham player and manager Mark Robins, who gave him that job, was sceptical about Kelly joining the League One club.

Evans is excited by what his seventh signing already this summer – the transfer window is not even due to officially open until a week on Friday – can bring to the club, and unconcerned by his age.

"He's a really good player, Liam, a fantastic professional," he said.

"He's been against my teams many times controlling things in the middle of midfield. I've taken loads of references off the (Coventry) playing squad – Josh Eccles just described Liam Kelly as the best player he's played with in that Coventry side.

"He's just a super signing. People will say he's 34 years-old. He can be 54 the way he plays.

"Supporters will really like him and for those who watched the demoliation by Coventry last season (they beat Rotherham 5-0), Kelly was pulling every string, he was sensational.

"He will provide many big moments like that but he knows he's got competition.

"We've done wonderfully well to get him because he had serious options.

"I spoke to Mark Robins and his words were, 'I don't think you'll get him' but I met him a couple of times, I think his wife was probably fed up of me WhatsApping and ringing him."

Kelly follows Joe Powell, Josh Rafferty, Sean Raggett, Jonson Clarke-Harris, Reece James and Shaun McWilliams in joining Rotherham for next season.

"Liam Kelly is one of those players where if you're an opposition manager you go, 'You have to get close,'" said Evans.

"I'm not going to build him up into something he's not, he's just a super passing creator who will galvanise us when we're under pressure and he can put a ball on a toadstool from 60 feet. That will do for me."