Rotherham United have submitted their retained list to the EFL ahead of the 2022/23 Sky Bet Championship campaign.
The club can confirm that Jake Cooper, Jacob Gratton, Freddie Ladapo, Angus MacDonald, Joe Mattock, and Mickel Miller will all depart AESSEAL New York Stadium upon the expiry of their contracts on June 30th 2022.
Discussions regarding new and extended deals have been opened with striker Michael Smith, defender Michael Ihiekwe and midfielder Jamie Lindsay – whose contracts are set to expire at the end of June – about the prospect of extending their stays with the Millers.
Long-serving defender Joe Mattock – who joined the club in the summer of 2015 and has made over 200 appearances in Rotherham United colours, winning three promotions and the Papa Johns Trophy in the process – will depart for pastures new upon the expiry of his contract.
Promotion winners Freddie Ladapo, Mickel Miller and Angus MacDonald will also leave the club when their deals conclude this summer.
The club have decided to activate options to extend the contracts of Josh Chapman, Jake Hull, Viktor Johansson and Chiedozie Ogbene, meaning that their stays with the Millers will run until the summer of 2023. The Millers are also currently discussing the possibility of a new, longer-term deal with Ogbene and his representatives.
Loan players Rarmani Edmonds-Green, Jordi Osei-Tutu and Will Grigg will all return to their parent clubs, following the conclusion of their temporary stints at AESSEAL New York Stadium.
Young forward Jerome Greaves – whose deal is set to expire this summer – has been invited back to train with the Millers during pre-season to present him with the opportunity to earn another contract with the club.
Speaking following confirmation of the retain list's submission to the EFL, Millers boss Paul Warne reserved special praise for the long-serving Joe Mattock, whilst reaffirming that everyone involved in this special season will rightly go down in the club's history.
“I just want to thank them all for their service.
“Joe [Mattock] has been here a long, long time and he’s been a magnificent pro and servant to this football club.
“I want to wish every single one of them all the best. I know that they’re going to get new clubs and carry on with their careers but it is always sad when our paths come to an end."
“It happens all the time, every season, at every club, but it is never any less difficult for me when I have to have those ‘goodbye’ conversations.
“They all leave with our very best wishes and I would encourage them all to stay in touch with me. They are more than players at this football club and I am grateful for everything that they have done for us both on the pitch as players and off it as people."
“This particular group has helped us to achieve some amazing things and I recently read the article about why they should go down in the club’s history, which they absolutely should do."
Everyone at Rotherham United would like to thank each and every player that has been involved - irrespective of their involvement on the pitch - for their efforts which have ultimately resulted in one of the club’s most successful seasons in its history, with their achievements including promotion to the Sky Bet Championship, as well as being crowned as the Papa Johns Trophy winners.
Players under contract who will remain at the club (14):
Dan Barlaser, Tolaji Bola, Curtis Durose, Shane Ferguson, Wes Harding, Georgie Kelly, Ciaran McGuckin, Hakeem Odoffin, Joshua Kayode, Ollie Rathbone, Josh Vickers, Mackenzie Warne, Ben Wiles and Richard Wood.
Players out of contract and subsequently leaving Rotherham United (6):
Jake Cooper, Jacob Gratton, Freddie Ladapo, Angus MacDonald, Joe Mattock and Mickel Miller.
The club are in discussions with the following players about potential new deals (3):
Michael Smith, Michael Ihiekwe and Jamie Lindsay.
Option activated to extend current deal by a further year (4):
Josh Chapman, Jake Hull, Viktor Johansson and Chiedozie Ogbene.
2021/22 season loanees returning to their parent clubs (3):
Will Grigg, Rarmani Edmonds-Green and Jordi Osei-Tutu.
Invited back to pre-season training to potentially earn a new deal (1):
Jerome Greaves.