Latics goalkeeper’s pledge to manager

PAUL RACHUBKA . . . has shaken hands on a new contract to stay at Boundary Park.

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GOALKEEPER PAUL Rachubka has flown out of the country without signing a new Latics deal — but team boss Lee Johnson hopes to have him and a couple of new faces at Boundary Park by early June.

As yet there has been no word from Connor Brown on the offer to stay on. If he leaves, Athletic would be due compensation.

While defeat has all but been conceded on the chance of retaining James Wesolowski, Johnson hopes to bolster resources with new signings — their names currently a closely-guarded secret.

“We have shaken hands on a deal and Rachubka has gone on holiday,” said Johnson. “The paperwork has been drawn up and we expect it to be signed. I told him that if Joe Hart becomes available for £500 a week I will still sign him, and he told me that if Manchester United come in for him he will still come back to us.

“You are never totally sure until everything is completed, but I am pretty sure he will be sorted.

“Hopefully we will have one or two re-signed by early next month, plus a couple of new players.”

One man whose future is unclear is David Worrall. The midfield man spent the latter half of the season on loan at Boundary Park from Rotherham. Worrall still has a year to run with the Millers, who gained promotion to the Championship by seeing off Leyton Orient in the play-off final on Sunday afternoon.

But Johnson remains uncertain whether Worrall features in Rotherham’s future plans.

He does see Rotherham’s promotion as beneficial to Athletic’s prospects for next season.

“We want those sides with big budgets out of our division - and Rotherham fall into that category,” he said.