Rotherham United set to complete Portsmouth swoop

Joe Rafferty is ready to return north after leaving Fratton Park. Rotherham United are ready to sign Joe Rafferty, according to Alan Nixon.

The full-back presently plays for Portsmouth, and he helped the club return to the Championship. However, he has been released, and his contract at Fratton Park is set to expire this summer.

The Millers have already moved quickly this summer, with Jonson Clarke-Harris expected to join on July 1st after his contract with Peterborough United expires. There has been talk regarding Clarke-Harris’ future for some time, which could have given the Millers extra time to prepare for a possible move for the striker.

However, it would not have been surprising if the South Yorkshire club faced stiff competition for his signature, given the player’s value in League One.

Rotherham, who have previously excelled in the second division, have done an excellent job of securing this deal, and they also have a manager in place.

After dismissing Leam Richardson in the latter stages of the 2023/24 season, they moved to bring Steve Evans back to the AESSEAL New York Stadium, allowing them to start the transfer window strong, knowing what type of players they needed to bring in to fit the manager’s style.

They still have a lot of work to do, as some players have been dismissed and loanees have returned to their parent clubs.

With Viktor Johansson’s contract expiring, they will need to reassess their goalkeeping department, among other issues.

Rotherham United set to swoop for Joe Rafferty

Given how much Rafferty played during the 2023/24 season, it would not have been surprising if Pompey kept him for another season.

He will leave Fratton Park with the supporters’ best wishes after playing a role in their promotion, and he appears to be in high demand.

Nixon believes Rotherham are close to completing a deal for the former Preston North End player, with the Millers leading the “race” for the 30-year-old. Several teams were thought to be interested in signing Rafferty, but he appears to have decided to join Evans’ team.

Rotherham United have made a bright start to the summer

Although some may argue that Rotherham aren’t looking too far ahead with the signings of Clarke-Harris and Rafferty, given that neither is in the early phases of their careers, both might be excellent medium-term additions.

When given enough playing time, Clarke-Harris has the potential to be one of the top strikers in the third division. And he could be the guy to lead the Millers back to the second tier, having previously performed well in the Championship with Peterborough during the 2021/22 season.

Rafferty also has second-tier experience and might be an excellent fit for a multi-year contract.

There will be more work to do in the coming months, but the Millers have made good progress in the early phases of the offseason.