£1m Rotherham United star tipped for transfer exit - Millers may have to "take a loss" | OneFootball

Rotherham United are expected to accept a slightly higher offer than the £500,000 that Milton Keynes Dons made for Sam Nombe.

Rotherham United are preparing for life in the fourth-tier of English football and yet another rebuild of the squad is required at the New York Stadium.

Having succumbed to a deflating relegation from League One last season, their second relegation in three seasons, Rotherham are expected to once again be very busy in this summer transfer window.

The likes of Sean Raggett, Joe Powell and Jordan Hugill are among those to have been released and found new clubs at Colchester United, Salford City and Hartlepool United respectively, with Josh Ayres joining Woking and Ciaran McGuckin moving to Harrogate Town.

As well as that, goalkeeper Cameron Dawson was let go alongside defender Zak Jules, midfielders Liam Kelly, Shaun McWilliams, Josh Benson, Ben Hatton and Dru Yearwood, with forwards Duncan Watmore and Joshua Kayode also departing. Only right-back Joe Rafferty signed a new contract in South Yorkshire.

Fabio Tavares is their only new signing so far, with the Portuguese striker having arrived on a free transfer from Burton Albion and, under the management of new head coach Alex Bruce, a lot of work on the squad is needed to be done.

To facilitate that, the departure of star striker Sam Nombe feels like something that is to be expected at some stage.

Sam Nombe tipped to leave Rotherham United this summer

Sam Nombe arrived at Rotherham in the summer of 2023 for a fee believed to be in the region of £1 million from Exeter City, following The Millers’ promotion to the Championship.

However, it has been reported that Milton Keynes Dons, coached by former Rotherham boss Paul Warne and recently promoted from League Two to the third-tier, have had a £500,000 bid for the striker rejected this summer.

Despite that rejection, FLW’s Rotherham Fan Pundit, Tom Eyre, believes that a bid of slightly higher than that fee will be accepted by the club and that Nombe would be a good fit for Warne at Stadium MK.

Tom told FLW: “Look, Sam Nombe is a very capable striker in League One, as is proven with his record with The Millers.

“I think it’s one in three games that he has scored a goal in League One, discounting his Championship seasons. He’s a very, very credible striker in League One.

“I think MK Dons are a club that need a proven, clinical finisher - someone of his services would suffice that truly, and although he’s never played under Paul Warne, I think he suits Paul Warne’s style to a tee.

“He’s a hard, hard worker. I think that’s the key aspect. He’s a runner off the ball and in behind the defence. He’s someone who can finish chances when they are put into the box: crosses, loose balls – he’s there, so I think he’s a player that suits Paul Warne’s style in that sense.

“I think Rotherham have turned down a £500,000, but they would accept anything between the £700,000 to £800,000 region.

“I think they are going to take a loss on Sam Nombe, regardless of that £1 million fee that we paid Exeter when back in the Championship.

“I expect anywhere between £700,000 to £800,000 to be expected by any team.”

Sam Nombe has been a good striker for Rotherham United — his loss will be a blow

Having began his career at MK Dons before joining Exeter on a permanent basis in 2021 after spells at Oxford City, Maidenhead United and Luton Town on loan, Sam Nombe established himself as a prolific striker in League One with The Grecians.

A debut season of eight goals in 28 appearances in Devon was followed by a 15-goal season in the third-tier, promoting interest from the division above in Rotherham.

Nombe struggled in the second-tier with just three goals in 41 appearances, but he has again gone on to show his quality in League One.

He scored 14 goals in 43 appearances in a disappointing 2024/25 campaign for United before striking 13 goals across all competitions last year to be the only player to score more than five goals for the struggling side as they finished 22nd and were relegated under Matt Hamshaw and then Lee Clark.

His goals would be a major miss for Rotherham, especially in League Two, but the fee raised for the 27-year-old could allow the club to reinvest this summer to mount a promotion challenge - and it is unlikely that Nombe would be content with playing fourth division football.