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If Celtic pursue Lennon Miller, here’s how they might swing the deal.

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Over the last couple of weeks, there’s been a fair bit of chatter around young Motherwell talent Lennon Miller. Since the game at the weekend, this talk has only intensified, with many Celtic fans suggesting we should go all in for this lad.

Having watched him play a few times myself, I’m inclined to agree.

I wrote about Miller a few weeks ago, noting that our signing of midfielder Luke McCowan probably made any pursuit of Miller redundant, given our current wealth of midfield talent. It’s difficult to see exactly where he’d slot into the side. But over the weekend, someone suggested something to me which got me thinking.

Before I dive into that, let’s start with two fundamental questions: firstly, is Miller as good as he seems? And secondly, if he is, what would be a fair price for him? With an already packed midfield, any decision will hinge on that valuation.

Answering the first question, Miller is undoubtedly a player with tremendous potential, which hints at the answer to the second: Motherwell will likely seek a solid fee. They’re entitled to ask for a bit, though within reason. If he continues on this trajectory, a club in England will probably take a chance on him. But if Celtic wants to be in the mix, we’ll need a strategic approach.

One option that could satisfy fans’ demands, while giving Miller consistent game time, would be to buy him and then loan him back to Motherwell, at least until we have room for him in our own squad. January could be an opportunity here if, say, Reo Hatate decides to move on. If Hatate goes—either in January or next summer—Miller could slot in as part of the squad, allowing McCowan or Bernardo to step up permanently.

Miller could take that time to get acclimated and grow.

That said, I believe we’ll be keeping Hatate around, at least for January and hopefully beyond. This means that if we sign Miller, he’d have two options: either play as a backup (which he’s a bit too talented for at this stage) or continue developing on loan. Motherwell would likely be open to such an arrangement, and the fee could be negotiated accordingly.

None of this means a deal is imminent.

It’s simply my view on how a deal could be structured to make sense for all involved. There’s no question that Miller is too good to spend most games on our bench.

Even with squad rotation, we can’t guarantee him enough first-team football, and he’s far beyond the level of playing second fiddle. But if he goes out on loan with the understanding that he’s Celtic’s future, that might just seal the deal. This approach worked for David Turnbull, even after his horror injury, and he eventually made it here.

If there are indeed talks going on about Miller, I imagine this loan-back strategy is being seriously considered. He’s Motherwell-bred and they’d probably like to see him finish his early development with them, while benefiting from a nice transfer fee.

This will be one to watch as we approach January, and it could get interesting if the club gets an offer they can’t refuse. Timing, as ever, will be key. Given his recent performances, I believe Celtic should aim to get something sorted sooner rather than later, be it in January or the summer. After that, we may find ourselves in a bidding war if other clubs come sniffing around.

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5 comments

  • Jay says:

    I can definitely see us going in for him. I think as you say Buy with a loan back is probably the best plan. It worked for Turnbull & Christie. I’d say then we have an element of safety next summer for departures. I hope he doesn’t but I think in all likelihood Hatate will be off to the prem next summer. Miller would then slot in to his role & having the deal done before we “need” someone helps with the clubs position.
    I’d also say next season will probably be the start of McGregor having to reduce his participation week in week out so even if Hatate stayed I’d say having an additional midfielder would help with the fixture load assuming we qualify for the league stage of Champions League that will be 12-14 games depending on how many qualifiers which is no small increase in fixtures compared to the domestic schedule as we are seeing this season.

  • One for the road says:

    Half a season remaining with Motherwell, followed by a season on loan at Aberdeen or in the Championship would be one way to but this assumes we are calling all the shots. Depends on the fee, the confidence and belief of the player, his family and their representatives but I do believe we should move in January, with all the details agreed beforehand.

  • FormerlyJimBhoy says:

    The positive about purchasing Lennon would be to give him better coaching so the loan back doesn’t work for me. Better coaching, training with better players, the expectancy at the Celtic should help fast-track him also.

    Purchase him, let the coaches and the manager work with him for a few months and tell him to go fight for his place.

    Regarding Hatate, undoubted talent but inconsistent.

  • PortoJoe says:

    We look to buy in January, loan out in his best interests for development (whether Motherwell or elsewhere is dependent on what’s best for his development) and then look to have on the squad for next season.
    I would normally look for some experience in the midfield as key, then I see what Barcelona’s three did to Real Madrid with an average age of 20…
    (and let’s not mess Motherwell around – talent is worth paying for, either now or in onward fees. However the deal is structured, it deserves to break Scottish transfer records.

  • PortoJoe says:

    (and I recall watching The Maestro run the midfield as a 17 year old – and scoring on his league debut against our nearest rivals (Aberdeen) so let’s have some faith in Scottish talent – we just need a striker or two to break through now…)

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