Rotherham United manager Steve Evans has explained that while at Leeds United he had to make a decision whether to offer Mallik Wilks a professional contract and now he is delighted to have the 25-year-old at his disposal.
The attacker, on loan from Sheffield Wednesday, scored his first goal for the Millers as his club beat Huddersfield Town 2-1 at home last weekend.
Evans, while giving his opinion on the player, reflected back on his days as the manager of Leeds United, when he had to decide on whether to give Wilks his first professional contract.
Wilks was an exciting prospect at Elland Road and Evans took the call to lock him down to a professional deal in a sign of his faith.
The 61-year-old is delighted to have got his hands on such a talented attacker and gave glowing references of him.
“I have just been talking to Malik this morning when we had to make a decision whether to give him a professional deal at Leeds United or not”, Evans told the BBC.
“He can remember the game when I watched them against QPR. I couldn’t remember the game but I think Malik got five goals, he was a kid in a kid’s game if you like.
“But certainly he has got all the abilities in the world, we are thankful, and grateful to Sheffield Wednesday for helping us facilitate getting Malik here.
“But he has come in, he has become as if he has been here since the first day of pre-season, he is quiet by character he is an introvert.
“But his performances and mannerisms on the ball makes him an extrovert, makes people want to see him, makes people want to talk to him.
“And we are delighted to get such a talented boy in.”
Wilks joined Sheffield Wednesday from Hull City in the summer of 2022 and has managed 42 appearances for the Owls.
Evans will be looking to see him produce on a regular basis in League One as he aims to guide Rotherham back to the Championship.
