The 24-year-old signs on the dotted line after an two impresssive seasons in Devon and earns the move to the Championship side, reuniting with former boss Matt Taylor.
The Millers have now broken their transfer record for a second time this summer after the acquisition of Christ Tiéhi from Czech side Slovan Liberec at the beginning of the month.
For the Grecians, they have had a bid rejected for Southend United striker Harry Cardwell but the Shrimpers don’t want to sell due to their ongoing transfer embargo, meaning they would be unable to replace the 26-year-old.
Route to Rotherham
The Croydon-born forward spent four years at Milton Keynes Dons after rising through their youth ranks.
A number of loan spells followed, starting with a switch to Oxford City where he impressed during his spell at The RAW Charging Stadium.
A move to Maidenhead United was next, before joining then Championship side Luton Town. It looked like he would be making the permanent move to Bedfordshire but that didn’t come to fruition after only making 11 Championship appearances.
Following three loan spells, Nombe found a permanent home and joined Exeter ahead of the 2021/22 campaign.
In his first season at St. James Park, he scored eight goals and assisted two in 28 League Two appearances as the Grecians finished in second and sealed promotion to League One.
Nombe was Exeter’s main attacking threat last term as his goal-scoring numbers increased considerably.
In 43 League One appearances, Nombe assisted six and scored on 15 occasions – showing that he can adjust to a new division with ease.
During his spell at Exeter, he scored 27 goals and registered 18 assists in 85 appearances.
Rotherham have had a disappointing start to their Championship campaign and are yet to pick up a win. They also exited the Carabao Cup in poor fashion, falling to a 6-1 defeat to fellow Championship side Stoke City.
Sam speaks on the move
Nombe spoke to iFollow Millers upon his signing and he is very excited about the move to South Yorkshire.
When questioned about why he opted to make the move to the AESSEAL New York Stadium with other clubs reportedly interested, Nombe admits the attraction of playing in the second tier was a major pulling pull.
“Obviously Matty and the staff was a big factor”, said the exciting forward.
He is also looking to prove the doubters wrong after his last stint in the Championship, an underwhelming spell at Luton.
“I have been in the Championship before an I didn’t have the greatest time but now I am trying to come back and establish myself more.
“I think I have a better understanding of my game now, I understand how I can impact the games more and bring my presence into the game,” stated Nombe.
He was also glad that the deal didn't end up having to be completed in the final hours before the window shuts.
"It was a bit chaotic when the interest came in so it is nice to have it all done so I can get involved with the team for Saturday (where they host Norwich City)."
Taylor’s thoughts on his new addition
Rotherham manager Taylor worked with Nombe during his spell in Devon, where he helped them gain promotion to League One.
Speaking on what Nombe will bring to his side, he said: “He has pace and power, he’s a ‘Rotherham United’ player who has scored goals consistently over the last few seasons.
“We could have loaned a player from a Premier League club,” admits the former Exeter manager.
“But we want to progress and I see Sam as a good investment, not just for now but for the coming seasons as well.
“He’s a good character and he’ll take on the challenge, which is what I stand for and the club stands for.”
