Rotherham United have failed in their pursuit of defender Brendan Wiredu according to reports.
The Millers had been pursuing the Fleetwood Town standout after an underwhelming season for the Lancashire club following their relegation into the fourth tier. They finished in 14th place after a midseason manager switch, with former Blackpool midfielder Charlie Adam being sacked and replaced with Pete Wild.
Wiredu Set For League One
Wiredu’s destination is a setback for Rotherham as it is reported that he will instead move to Plymouth Argyle, with reports from Football Insider yesterday suggesting that Tom Cleverley’s side were in advanced negotiations with the centre-back. The Rotherham Advertiser has since stated that the South Yorkshire side’s offer collapsed due to the higher wages that Argyle could offer the player.
Championship clubs such as Derby County and Oxford United were both reportedly interested in Wiredu alongside Plymouth as far back as last summer, but no move materialised and the former Colchester United man remained at Highbury Stadium for the forthcoming season. He played 34 matches for The Cod Army last season, playing both centre-back and central midfield.
Speaking to the Advertiser following the blow, Millers boss Matt Hamshaw said of their priority transfer positions:
“We’re keeping looking. We’re in hot pursuit of centre-backs and we’re in hot pursuit of wing-backs. We’re also looking for midfielders.”
Writers’ View
It may have taken a year longer than initially hoped, but Plymouth Argyle now have their man. Brendan Wiredu has long been a proven option in League One and with Fleetwood falling well short of promotion, it seemed inevitable that their star player would move on. Rotherham will feel a bit of a blow after losing out on a key target to a third-tier rival, but with other options on the market it will not be a season-defining failure. Losing Cameron Humphreys to Port Vale means that The Millers are short of options and with pre-season games around the corner, they may need to give young players chances until a new signing can be brought in.
