Defender 'felt the love' from Wigan Athletic

Tilt joined Latics on loan for the third transfer window in a row, having been a key part of the survival bid last term.

And Warne says there was no point trying to keep him in South Yorkshire given his desire to return to the DW.

“He did well there on loan last season, and it was intimated to me during the summer that they wanted to take him back,” Warne told the Rotherham Advertiser.

“Curtis had played there and felt the love there. I felt he was always pulling towards there really.”

Tilt suffered a hamstring injury while on international duty with Jamaica, which prevented the deal being concluded sooner.

“He had his hamstring pull which he worked really hard to get back from,” Warne added.

“He saw me last week and said he was desperate to get into the team and play and that he was frustrated when he wasn’t in the side.

"I just felt that we had strength in depth in central defence to allow Tilty to go.

“He wanted to go. It wasn’t like I was pushing him out of the door."