"Runs teams ragged" - Major Rotherham United deal tipped to pay dividends | OneFootball

The striker joined the Millers from Exeter City but has not quite lived up to expectations.

This article is part of Football League World's 'Terrace Talk' series, which provides personal opinions from our FLW Fan Pundits regarding the latest breaking news, teams, players, managers, potential signings and more...

Rotherham United struggled massively in the Championship last season and looked destined for the drop from the very start of the campaign.

The Millers spent just four game weeks out of the relegation zone, all within the first seven matches of the season, before occupying 24th for the final 25 games of 2023/24.

After staying in the Championship the year before, hopes were high for an even more successful season, but poor recruitment and a lack of financial strength meant that the Yorkshire club failed to compete with others in the division.

Rotherham were officially relegated on April 5, following a 1-0 loss to Plymouth Argyle. That defeat also marked the 21st game of record signing Sam Nombe's goal drought, after signing from Exeter City for £1 million in the summer of 2023.

Nombe's poor first season has worried fans

Although he was excellent in his final year in Devon, his first campaign at the New York Stadium has given supporters fears that he will never live up to his transfer fee.

The former MK Dons forward scored just three times in the Championship last season, while also picking up three assists. Finding the back of the net was an issue that followed the Millers, as collectively they scored just 37 goals across 46 matches.

FLW's Rotherham Fan Pundit, Tom Eyre, hopes that Nombe can finally start to kick on after a difficult 12 months and tipped him to prove his worth.

"He’s up for interpretation," he said. "I personally believe that he is getting there. I think he's getting to the point where he is worth his salt in regard to his transfer fee.

"But currently I wouldn't say he is £1 million. He had a tough Championship season. He didn’t have many chances and opportunities to show what he's about.

"However, if you compare that to this season, he looks at points like he runs teams ragged. So, it's only a matter of time before that transfer fee looks like it's worth its merit. I'd say currently he has not been worth his fee, but give it until the end of the season, and then we can have another review."

Nombe's lack of goals is continuing but his performances are better

Although he has dropped back into a league that he scored 15 goals in during his last spell, Nombe is yet to find the back of the net for Rotherham this season in League One.

Nevertheless, the 25-year-old's general play has been a lot better, and he is a more active part of the team compared to his first year at the club.

He has already accrued an xG of 2.28, compared to last season when he managed just 3.42 across 41 matches. In time, he will start finding the back of the net, and currently, it seems to be a confidence issue as to why he is not scoring.

Once Nombe starts firing there could be no stopping him, and he could finally re-pay that £1 million fee that was spent on his just over 12 months ago.