- Rotherham United could face relegation from the Championship.
- Viktor Johansson excels as Rotherham’s top goalkeeper.
- Sheffield United may target Johansson as a solution to their goalkeeper struggles in case of relegation.
Rotherham United are once again languishing near the bottom of the Championship table.
The Millers are infamous for being a “yo-yo” team because they have alternated between fighting for promotion near the top of League One and relegation near the bottom of the Championship.
Rotherham is presently at the bottom of the Championship, demonstrating that trend continues this year.
Viktor Johansson is one player who has been consistent over the past few seasons.
However, if Rotherham’s season ends badly, that might be the last time we see him wearing a Rotherham shirt.
Johansson has been a great servant for Rotherham
Johansson began his career at Hammarby in his native Sweden before moving to England to play for Aston Villa.
He relocated to Leicester City in the Midlands in 2018, but he never played as a senior for the team.
He was signed by Rotherham in September 2020 after being promoted back to the second division following his release by the Foxes in the summer of 2020.
Johansson has gradually established himself as Rotherham’s first-choice custodian since moving to Yorkshire.
After playing in just under half of Rotherham’s League One games during his debut season, he went on to play in just over half of those same games the following year.
However, Johansson’s best season to date was the 22–23 campaign last season.
He solidified his position as Rotherham’s starting striker, contributing significantly to the Millers’ survival as they concluded the season in 19th place, six points above the relegation zone.
In 43 Championship games, he kept 11 clean sheets, making it his best professional season to date.
Leeds United, who had just been demoted from the Premier League, expressed interest in him during the summer after seeing his performances. However, Rotherham held on to him.
Sheffield United move may be on the cards
Once again, Sheffield United, the lowest-ranked team in the Premier League, showed interest in Johansson during the January transfer window.
Leam Richardson, the manager of Rotherham, disclosed that Johansson had stated in January that he wanted to remain with the team despite interest from the Premier League and Europe.
Johansson’s opinion on staying, though, will undoubtedly change if Rotherham is demoted because he has been among the best in the Championship lately, statistically speaking. Over the past 15 months, Sweden international Johansson has proven that he is too good for League One.
Johansson’s career would suffer if Sheffield United made a move to reclaim him; that would be a mutually beneficial arrangement.
Sheffield United’s poor defence, which has allowed 65 goals in 25 top-flight games, has been exposed numerous times this season.
Although he has been their starting custodian, Wes Foderingham has not impressed. Ivo Grbic, who was signed in January from Atlético Madrid, has only played in one game for them thus far.
The contracts of Foderingham and Adam Davies, the third-choice keeper, expire in the summer, so it’s highly likely that the Blades will search for a new keeper as relegation to the Championship is all but guaranteed.
With one season remaining on his contract, Rotherham might be better off making a move and letting the player go, particularly if they are demoted.
Johansson will most likely want to leave if they collapse, and that would be completely understandable.
