Manchester City youngster joins on loan...
Rotherham United have signed Manchester City youngster Brandon Barker on a youth loan subject to Football League, FA and Premier League ratification.
The 19-year-old midfielder becomes Neil Redfearn’s second signing as boss of the Millers after a deal was struck with the Premier League heavyweights this afternoon.
Barker, who has represented England at under 18 level, signed a five-year professional contract with City in August this year, after impressing with his rapid rise through the club’s Academy.
“He is an exciting young player," Redfearn told www.themillers.co.uk. "He represents a ball carrier who will go past players and make things happen. He is a goalscorer who is quite young in years but has had quite a lot of experience around the first team at Manchester City.
"They think that he is going to develop into a top player so for us to get him is a massive plus. It is a great deal for us, he is what we need. He has the ability to open sides up and he can create goalsocring opportunities and he can score goals. He will be a massive addition for us."
The home dressing room at AESSEAL New York Stadium will be one that Barker recognises after he represented an England Under 18’s side at the Millers’ home in a game they won 2-1 against Germany last year. The young attacker continues to be involved in the Three Lions set up and Redfearn is excited at the prospect of harnessing his potential as he looks to make his name at the top level.
“He has international recognition through the youth age groups and he will be going away next week with the England national team," he added.
“In the summer there were a lot of Championship clubs chasing his signature regarding a season long loan, so for us to get him out of City at this point is a real coup for us. It is exciting because he fits into quite a young group with the likes of Grant Ward, Farrend Rawson and Harry Toffolo.
“What we need to do is whatever system we play, we have to free him up and get him running at the opposition. Once he starts going past people, he will start creating chances. He can finish, he has been a regular goalscorer for Man City under 21s, and this is the start of us changing the face of what we look like. We want to do this, it is the consensus of the technical board, and Brandon is the start."