Rotherham United are near to completing a deal for Hamilton Academical midfielder Hakeem Odoffin, as reported by the Rotherham Advertiser.

The report states that The Millers have seen off competition to lead the race for the exciting midfielder, with Scottish Premiership duo Hibernian and Motherwell set to miss out.

The newly-relegated League One club have been linked with the 23-year-old for a while, and with the departure of Matt Crooks, the midfield area has emerged as an area of prioritisation.

Odoffin, who was converted into a midfielder at Hamilton after arriving as a full-back, rose through the academy at Barnet, before enjoying spells at Tottenham Hotspurs' and Reading's academies.

Spells at Wolverhampton Wanderers and Northampton Town followed, and then he moved north of the border to initially arrive at Livingston. Odoffin joined The Accies ahead of the 2020/21 campaign, but it was a season that ultimately ended in relegation.

The verdict

The departure of Crooks will leave a glaring void. The towering midfielder had the versatility to operate anywhere in the midfield and was instrumental to the way Rotherham played.

In that respect, Odoffin would have big shoes to fill, but it seems that the 23-year-old will have more defensive-minded responsibilities.

In a report published at the end of February this year from the Daily Record, Odoffin had made more interceptions than any other player under the age of 23 in Europe, suggesting that he is better suited to a holding role.

This will be a shrewd addition if Warne manages to secure the former Barnet man. He also has the versatility to operate as a full-back, offering adaptability when required.