Rotherham United handed boost over future of Sheffield United target | OneFootball

Sheffield United target Viktor Johansson has revealed he would be happy to stay at Rotherham United over the summer despite their relegation to League One in a boost to the Millers' hopes of keeping hold of him.

The Millers' descent back down to the third tier was confirmed after their loss last Friday to Plymouth Argyle, who are also scrapping for their lives near the foot of the second tier table.

Rotherham have been battling at the bottom of the division early throughout the 2023/24 campaign and Johansson has been their standout performer but unfortunately, his efforts were not enough to help them avoid the drop.

The goalkeeper has seven-figure release clause that is activated on relegation, according to the Rotherham Advertiser. The figure is understood to be lower than the fee they could've got for the Sweden international had they sold him in the January transfer window.

Sheffield United are reported admirers of the 25-year-old, and the Advertiser have also said that interest from Europe is likely.

During the most recent international break, the Swede said: "My focus is on the games until the end of this one. Whatever happens after, happens. My heart and my soul and my brain ... everything is with Rotherham at the moment."

Viktor Johansson on his Rotherham future

Now that the club's relegation has been confirmed and his release clause has been activated, the keeper has opened up about his future with the Yorkshire-based club and boosted their hopes of keeping hold of him.

Speaking to the Advertiser, Johansson revealed that he would be "100 percent okay," to stay with the club in League One next season.

"I haven’t really thought about the summer. I'm still fully focused here. It hasn't been good enough from us and we want to at least find something good to end the season with."

Rotherham still have five games to go this season, and, even though he is likely to receive a lot of calls about a move away from the ASSEAL New York Stadium, Johansson has said that he won't be considering his future until after the final game of the season, which is Cardiff City, at home.

he said. "I don't want to be like that."

Rotherham should look to cash-in on Viktor Johansson

Even though they could have received a larger fee for him in the winter window, that's in the past now for Rotherham. They have to be fully focused on the best, and quickest, way to get back to the second tier, and selling the keeper should be a part of that plan.

They might get less than they could've in January but a seven-figure return is still a good amount of money that the club would be able to then spend on improving the rest of the squqad.

Rotherham should be able to get a decent keeper for their soon-to-be new level by getting a free agent through the door. If they can make some signings using the profits from selling Johansson, that will give them a better chance of getting back to the Championship than keeping him.

The contract extension signed by the Swede last January only runs until the summer of 2025 so the summer is their best chance of cashing in on him, assuming they don't feel they can tie him down to a new deal.