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 pulled off somewhat of a transfer coup earlier this week when they announced the signing of Arsenal defender Brooke Norton-Cuffy on a season-long loan.
The 18-year-old penned a new deal with the Gunners earlier in the month, with a view to heading to a Championship club temporarily for the 2022-23 campaign.
And it it the Millers who are set to take advantage of Arsenal's generosity of letting one of their top young talents head out on loan, with Paul Warne tying a deal up for his services.
Norton-Cuffy, who has been capped eight times for England at under-19 level and was a part of their European Championship-winning squad this summer, was thrown in for his debut against Morecambe in the EFL Cup on Tuesday night, playing 66 minutes and completed four out of his five attempted dribbles, as well as making three interceptions.
Speaking on Rotherham being able to bring in the talented teen, FLW's Millers fan pundit Tom Eyre believes this to be a big signing for the club.
"From what I've seen and heard of Norton-Cuffy, Arsenal fans highly rate him and actually wanted him to stay this season as as rotation player for them, so that just shows how highly-rated this youngster is and I believe that it's a brilliant signing for us," Tom said.
"A lot of teams' fans are saying 'Why didn't we get him?' and they may have a point, but in regards to that, we have a good relationship with Arsenal, we've progressed a lot of their players and made them become better players and people on the outside and I feel Arsenal really appreciate that, and that's why we were the favourites to sign him and why he's come to us.
"I think his representatives really like Rotherham so that's all I can say. Brilliant signing, extremely happy as I think every Rotherham fan is and I don't actually think it's a coup - it's just a fantastic signing and I think we were always the favourites to get him."
The Verdict
Norton-Cuffy was always expected to head to the Championship following his impressive stint with Lincoln City in the third tier last season, and it is Rotherham who are set to profit from his talents.
The youngster appears to be a full-back or wing-back who is a powerful runner and a great dribbler, with evidence of that on his debut with four completed dribbles out of five against Morecambe.
Like all young players though, there is going to be games where he doesn't get the rub of the green and things don't go as well, but it will be a learning curve of a campaign.
There were other clubs in the Championship that need right wing-backs, perhaps ones bigger than Rotherham, but Arsenal have opted to send him to the New York Stadium, and that can only be positive for Paul Warne and his side.