EXCLUSIVECeltic and Rangers ready to move for teen star Miller - but Motherwell will hold out for £4m fee
Motherwell will hold out for at least £4million for Lennon Miller if Celtic and Rangers make their expected moves for the teenager in January.
The 18-year-old has become one of the hottest properties in Scottish football, featuring in each of his club’s 18 matches this season and scoring four goals.
While Fir Park chairman Kyrk Macmillan yesterday insisted the club wanted to hang on to the teenager for as long as possible, it looks like they will be receiving bids for their star man in the New Year.
Mail Sport understands that Motherwell won’t entertain offers of less than £4m for their latest academy graduate as they seek to eclipse the record £3m from Celtic for David Turnbull in 2020.
The Parkhead club are admirers of Miller but, contrary to reports yesterday, have not yet made an approach.
Lennon Miller has attracted interest from Celtic and Rangers
Lennon Miller was in action for Scotland Under-19s on Wednesday night
Rangers also like what they see but have also made no official contact with the Lanarkshire club yet. Liverpool could yet join a bidding war, although suggestions that Newcastle United are also on the player’s trail are wide of the mark.
Miller, who skippered Scotland Under-19s in their 1-0 loss against Wales at Forthbank yesterday, is adamant that he is in no hurry to leave his boyhood club.
Reiterating that stance, new chairman Macmillan claimed he wanted to keep him at Fir Park for ‘as long as possible’.
‘Lennon has done incredibly well since he came into the first team,’ said Macmillan, who was appointed club chairman earlier this month.
‘Obviously, he’s now captain of the club over the last couple of matches, did it at Hampden as well for the semi-final (of the Premier Sports Cup).
Motherwell midfielder Miller has also featured for Scotland Under-21s this season
The talented 18-year-old has scored four goals for Motherwell so far this season
‘I think, ultimately, it’s about Lennon’s growth journey and we want him to stay at Motherwell as long as possible.
‘It’s great watching him every Saturday. He gets supporters excited and people are really excited to engage with him and his journey in football.
‘There may come a time where Lennon decides: “I want to try something new in another environment” — but, ultimately, we want to make his time at Motherwell as successful as it can be.
‘That is who we are as a football club and that will be the same for Lennon as it will be, hopefully, for other players in the future as well.’
Miller, under contract with the Steelmen until 2026, has already made more than 50 appearances since his debut just over two years ago and Macmillan is hopeful that number will rise considerably before he moves on.
‘It is our model, ultimately,’ he told Sky Sports.
‘The club’s been successful with that in the past in terms of moving on younger players and being able to bring strong revenue to the football club.’
