Shropshire Star

Shrewsbury Town want Matt Millar but at right price

Steve Cotterill has made clear his desire for Shrewsbury Town to sign loan star Matt Millar on a permanent deal – but warns the club will not be held to ransom.

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The Town boss, whose side welcome Blackpool in League One tonight, has told Australian right-back Millar he wants to bring him in on a transfer when the January window opens on Friday.

Millar, whose loan from A-League club Newcastle Jets end on December 31, has previously said he wants to stay and Cotterill said he knows what the player wants.

Reports in Australia have suggested that a number of English clubs, including sides from the Championship, were keen on Millar, but Cotterill is not interested in rumours he believes are created to drum up the price. The boss also reiterated that a reported agreement between the clubs when Sam Ricketts struck the original loan deal is now ‘not acceptable’.

“His loan, I think, is due up on December 31,” Cotterill said. “I wouldn’t see the agreement that the clubs had before as being acceptable, so the ball is perhaps with his club and with Matt himself.

“I know what Matt’s feelings are, which is obviously important, but I don’t see the agreement in place being right for the club.”

Millar has been a big hit with the Town fans since making the switch from Down Under.

Cotterill said earlier in December that he would need the month to asses the attack-minded right wing-back and make a decision and now wants to make a permanent deal for the 24-year-old.

He added: “People put stories out there to crank the pressure up on, i.e. Shrewsbury Town Football Club.

“Rumours will go out there, agents and clubs will put rumours out there.

“I can tell you now if someone comes in for one of our players, there won’t be just one club in, there will be another in the background – because I’ll tell people like you who will write about it and that will drum up more money. I’ve been in this game a little while so we’ll see what happens.

“I’ve made it clear with Matt and to the board that I would like him to sign here but not on what was potentially the agreed deal before he’d even come on trial. That’s the ground I’ll be standing on and I’ll do what I feel is best.”

Cotterill suggested that Town will, in the coming days, confirm the futures of several squad players who are not in the manager’s plans.

He said that would be the case when asked about injured Fulham loan right-back Marlon Fossey, who picked up his injury before the manager’s appointment. The likelihood is other so-far unused loan players are in that category as the manager tries to add quality in the loan department.

Asked if he had been working hard on January additions, Cotterill replied: “All will be revealed soon.”

Town are yet to win a home league game this season and have the poorest home form in the division with no wins from eight games – which is an unwanted club record to start the campaign.

Cotterill has only overseen two home league games at Montgomery Waters Meadow, encouraging draws against Accrington Stanley and Charlton at the beginning of December.

The boss said he has no fresh injury concerns heading into the visit of the Seasiders, which will be played in front of fans.