Tony Stewart ready to shatter Rotherham United's transfer fee record

After bankrolling the Millers’ rise to the Championship, complete with a lavish new stadium in the heart of town, to boot, Stewart is now ready to waft the chequebook as the club aim to elevate themselves to the next level under a go-ahead manager in Alan Stubbs.

That means evolving from a side happy to survive in the Championship to one who want to aim that bit higher – with a push for the top 10 being the desired aim in an ultra-competitive division in 2016-17.

Actions speak louder than words, with the South Yorkshire club doing exactly that by tabling club record bids for sought-after forwards Lee Gregory and Tom Bradshaw, with Brighton & Hove Albion midfielder Jake 
Forster-Caskey also on the club’s radar.

Millwall manager Neil Harris has confirmed that the Lions have turned down a big-money bid – believed to be around £1.2m – for Sheffield-born Gregory, while an offer of in the region of £500,000 has been made for Walsall forward Bradshaw.

The 23-year-old is also a summer target of Barnsley.

It remains to be seen if the Millers are successful in pursuit of either Gregory or Bradshaw.

But certainly the ambition of the club, whose current transfer record is the £350,000 shelled out to sign Jonson Clarke-Harris in September 2014, cannot be faulted as they seek to make a major dual transfer statement.

Stewart said: “I see us spending more on a player than we ever have before this summer.

“We are going to spend more this season than we did last season. It is necessary if we are to progress as we want to.

“There is no doubt we are going deep into the pocket. We have got to be competitive. We have had two near-misses (relegation escapes) and we have got to move on from that.

“I have always said if you are positive with your head and negative with your wallet, then you are going to fail.

“We have got to put the money in to make sure we can compete, even though it is a difficult league. We know that.

“We have been in it for two seasons. I think there is a formula that we are using that can make us more competitive than in the last two seasons. That is the plan and that is what we are going for.”

Meanwhile, Sheffield Wednesday are set to battle it out with Fulham to sign former Sheffield United midfielder Kevin McDonald.

The Scot is on the verge of leaving Wolves, with boss Kenny Jackett confirming there has been interest in the 27-year-old .

Bradford City have ended their quest to land a senior goalkeeper by bringing in Blackpool’s Colin Doyle – after activating a relegation-release clause in his contract for the princely sum of £1.

Bantams manager Stuart McCall had his card positively marked regarding Doyle, one of the few players to enhance their reputations in a fraught 2015-16 season at Bloomfield Road, by new City goalkeeping coach Steve Banks, who worked with the 31-year-old at the Seasiders.

Doyle, who has signed a two-year deal, becomes City’s third close-season signing following the arrivals of defender Nathaniel Knight-Percival and midfielder Nicky Law.

Doyle said: “Getting relegated with Blackpool last season was obviously disappointing, but I am glad to be coming back to League One with Bradford.

“It probably was a simple decision to join Bradford in the end, to be honest.”

Sheffield United defensive target Kyle McFadzean has signed for Nigel Clough’s Burton Albion for a club record fee from MK Dons.

Aston Villa’s Riccardo Calder has returned to Doncaster Rovers on loan until January.

The versatile 20 year old impressed for Darren Ferguson’s side last season while on loan and made 12 appearances.