Rotherham United decision on ex-Carlisle United loanee Joshua Kayode

The Millers have today confirmed their decision on the striker, whose spell with the Blues was ruined by injury last season.

Although Kayode remains under contract at the Yorkshire club, they are willing to allow the 24-year-old to leave the club.

The move was confirmed in Rotherham's retained and released list following their relegation from the Championship.

Kayode is one of two players under contract who has been told he can leave, defender Jamie McCart the other.

Rotherham boss Steve Evans' decision follows a highly frustrating season-long loan with United for Kayode in 2023/24.

He suffered a dislocated shoulder early in his spell and was ruled out of action after just two appearances.

A calf problem then dashed his hopes of a winter comeback, and Kayode only returned in time for two substitute cameo appearances late in the season, with United having already been relegated.

The forward then made himself unavailable for Carlisle's last two games of the season, for reasons which were not made public.

Kayode only managed four appearances for Carlisle in an injury-plagued 2023/24 loan spell (Image: Ben Holmes)

Blues manager Paul Simpson said he was unable to give details, saying there was a "confidentiality" matter, while Evans said it was not Rotherham's decision to rule him out of the games.

He returned to the AESSEAL New York Stadium at the end of the campaign but Rotherham will now listen to offers for the frontman, who also had two previous loan spells at Brunton Park.

Ahead of his most recent loan switch last September, Kayode signed a contract extension keeping him at Rotherham until the summer of 2025.

Manager Evans said on the Millers' website: “There have been some honest and open discussions with players in and out of contract and we have had to make some really difficult decisions, but each one of those has been made with the future of Rotherham United at the forefront of our priorities."