Rotherham United: Dan Barlaser sale had surprisingly positive impact | OneFootball

Dan Barlaser starred for Rotherham before a move to Middlesbrough. His exit funded key signings, aiding survival, but both club and player later strug

During the Winter Transfer Window of 2023, Rotherham United had an important decision to make. Should they allow their prized asset to leave for a sum or should they keep Dan Barlaser in the hope his added ability was enough to keep them up, albeit to leave on a free at the end of the season.

Rotherham had just been promoted under Paul Warne but, after leaving the club after six years, other key assets were in talks to leave as contracts ran out in the summer - the likes of Chiedozie Ogbene among them.

Having started the season well, Rotherham had since stalled, and it was decided by the board that change had to come - this being the sale of Barlaser.

How influential Barlaser was for Rotherham United

Barlaser signed for Rotherham in 2020 for an undisclosed fee after an initial loan move, leaving his hometown club Newcastle United and, during this stint with the Millers, became a local hero.

Dubbed the “Geordie Pirlo”, Barlaser enjoyed his football under Paul Warne and in January 2023 found himself among the Championship's top assisters, with eight, and players with the most chances created, with 54 in the Championship.

Through the form of Barlaser and other important players such as Ogbene, Ollie Rathbone and Richard Wood, Rotherham found themselves in 20th, a lot higher than Championship pre-season predictions may have suggested. Barlaser’s ability to dictate a game, passing range and defensive work rate made him, arguably, one of the most in-form defensive midfielders in the Second Division.

Dan Barlaser – what happened

Barlaser’s form had understandably garnered attention from the big hitters in the Championship - notably Middlesbrough. Michael Carrick had been reported to be a “big admirer” of the defensive midfielder. So much so, Middlesbrough made a move on the man out of contract in the summer. Inevitably, the lure back to the North East was too much for the Millers to compete with. A transfer fee of approximately £900,000 was agreed and Barlaser moved north to join Middlesbrough. This move proved to be difficult for Barlaser, with a failure to establish himself within Carrick's setup. With recent links tying him to a deal with Derby and a reunion with Paul Warne, his career may see a resurgence.

How the funds affected Rotherham

During the sale of Barlaser, the then manager of Rotherham, Matt Taylor, made eight mid-season signings – Sean Morrison, Tariqe Fosu, Conor Coventry, Jordan Hugill, Leo Hjelde, Domingos Quina, Bailey Wright and Tyler Blackett. Five loans and three permanent transfers were made to bolster Taylor’s team for the fight for survival in the Championship.

Coventry was brought in as a direct replacement for the aforementioned Barlaser, adding similar attributes such as his composure on the ball, as a set-piece specialist and willingness to work hard in the middle of the pitch. Morrison, Wright and Hugill were brought in for their Championship experience and ability to keep the younger players afloat during the chaos of a relegation fight, whilst Blackett was brought in as cover for the unfortunate season injury suffered by Morrison. Fosu and Quina were welcomed as technical forwards to improve the attacking threat of the Millers, as Hjelde offered perfect competition for the left-back and centre-back positions.

Of these new signings, it's difficult to say any particularly stayed within the memory of Millers' fans. Although none did themselves a disservice, it was a joint effort in an attempt to stay up. A particular fan favourite, though, was Leo Hjelde, now of Sunderland, whose tenacity and eagerness to play with the ball matched with his passion for the badge lived long in fans' memory.

Further players such as Fosu and Coventry showed their ability to play at Championship level and a few fans were upset to see them leave at the end of the season with no chance of a permanent deal.

These signings facilitated an opening 4-0 win against Blackburn Rovers to spark a fire that led to Rotherham maintaining Championship status for another season. Taylor was one of only three managers to keep the Millers in the Championship, along with Steve Evans and Neil Warnock.

Weighing up if the Barlaser move was successful for all parties

Short-term, yes. Long-term, no.

Barlaser had six months left on his deal with no contract extension in sight - he was set to leave Rotherham on a free transfer. With any additional funds that came the Millers’ way was always going to be a bonus in the short term. Whether it was enough for a player of his quality is another question. But for Rotherham, the short-term benefit was certainly felt as they maintained their Championship status.

As for Barlaser, this was potentially a wrong move. To go from a main man, and beloved by the fans and the team itself, to a club where he would have less game time could be argued as a wrong move.

Long-term, Rotherham suffered without his services and, due to the many loans they acquired, found themselves without proper resources to tackle the Championship in the 2023/2024 season. This resulted in relegation to the third tier where they are currently operating.

It is tough to say either team or player have been successful in the years following the sale of Barlaser, but at the time, it was certainly a decision that had a surprisingly positive impact.