Rotherham looking for ‘serious’ offers for striker Le Fondre after rejecting Owls’ bid

Neighbours Sheffield Wednesday lodged a £200,000 bid for the striker’s services over the weekend but the Millers want over £500,000.

Other clubs including Doncaster Rovers and Scunthorpe United are also interested and Stewart is refusing to panic despite the striker’s reluctance to sign a new deal.

“We have had verbal offers from a couple of clubs that have fallen just beneath our valuation of the player,” he said.

“But I couldn’t take this offer from Sheffield Wednesday seriously. If people cannot afford to buy a player, we certainly cannot afford to give them away.”

Owls manager Gary Megson is desperate to sign a new striker before the opening fixture of the season against Rochdale at Hillsborough at the weekend.

He is still in the hunt for West Bromwich Albion’s Chris Wood but has missed out on Preston’s Neil Mellor, Rochdale’s Chris O’Grady and Norwich City’s Cody McDonald.

Striker Tom Pope is set to join Port Vale after his contract with the Millers was cancelled by mutual consent.

Jimmy Bullard has been frozen out of Hull City’s preparations for the new season after completing a two-week suspension imposed for a breach of club discipline.

A statement on the future of the former England international, who still has two years remaining on his £45,000-a-week contract, is expected in the next 48 hours.

Manager Nigel Pearson, meanwhile, is hoping to bring Liverpool defender Daniel Ayala back to the club before Friday night’s opening game against Blackpool.

Ayala, 20, spent three months on loan at the KC Stadium last season but is also a target for other Championship clubs.

Huddersfield Town manager Lee Clark completed his seventh signing of the summer yesterday when midfielder Anton Robinson moved north from League One rivals Bournemouth.

Robinson, 25, has penned a three-year deal with the Terriers and is likely to make his debut in this weekend’s opening game of the season against Bury.

“His acquisition is a real coup for the club,” said Clark. “Anton is a top quality performer with proven pedigree at League One level.

“His height, combined with his physical abilities and his ability on the ball, are fantastic attributes and he will fit right into our style of play given his composure and skill when in possession, too.

“He offers us something different and it’s great as a manager to have different options,” he added. “We now have what I would consider five senior midfield players in Anton, Damien Johnson, Oscar Gobern, Tommy Miller and Scott Arfield. They will compete for the starting positions.”

Barnsley manager Keith Hill had also been linked with Robinson but claims the fee, believed to be in excess of £600,000, offered ‘no value’ to the Tykes.

Bradford City manager Peter Jackson will not be offering a contract to former Rotherham winger Jamie Green.

Jackson allowed Green, 21, to train with the Bantams this summer, but winger Jack Compton has arrived on loan from Falkirk instead.

Doncaster defender George Friend has extended his contract with the club until summer 2013.