I wonder if yesterday wasn’t a significant one in Lennon Miller’s summer – and in Celtic’s interest in the player.
Because amidst all the noise, amidst all the smoke as people look for the fire, all we’ve heard are rumours. There’s been speculation. You read the kind of stuff about how clubs are preparing massive eight-figure bids for the player, some of which, to me, has always sounded a little bit unbelievable considering that his contract is up at the end of the coming season.
But none of it is concrete. None of it suggests that a club has actually made a bid, or that Motherwell are in talks with anybody else.
And then yesterday we got something real. Something from someone close to the action – and you can decide for yourself whether or not you believe it.
But I wonder why Lennon Miller’s own father, who has spoken to the media at great length about his son and his transfer plan over the last few years, would have any reason to lie. He scoffed at some of the online rumour-mongering. He scoffed at some of the reports.
He said there were no talks ongoing between Motherwell and other clubs. No other clubs have made offers.
That is why he expects his son to be back at pre-season training. That is why the chatter around Motherwell is that he will be back at pre-season training. That’s why the boy himself has already confirmed that he’ll be back at pre-season training. “We just have to see how it goes,” his father said yesterday.
And that presents danger and opportunity. For Celtic, for Motherwell, for the player, and for any other club out there who’s interested. No offers for the player yet. No bid from any club. Which means the talk that Motherwell have told interested parties what the transfer fee is going to be is nonsense. The idea that the player has already made up his mind to go abroad is nonsense.
If we want Lennon Miller, the time to go and get him is now – before offers do come along, and they’re bound to come along. They may be lowball offers. They may not be in the range that Motherwell want. But here’s the thing: if we act late in the day, if we go after those stories are already in the public domain, you know what’s going to happen. A baseline will already be established for talks.
If they knock back a £3 million bid, then the bid we have to make is £4 million automatically. If someone else comes in with four – and they are based in England or somewhere else and can pay him more money – we then have to offer five. And this is how you go from a realistic valuation to something nuts.
But go in now. Make Motherwell an offer that is on the level, that is respectful of them and of the player. Something around what we paid Hibs for Scott Brown would fall in the range of a good negotiating position – a good starting point. And we can take it from there. If we’re the only club in the bidding, then Motherwell are taking an enormous risk if they keep on jacking up the price. We will know in ourselves what an acceptable figure is and at what point we walk away completely.
But if this guy is on the target list, it is not sane, sensible, rational, reasonable or otherwise to allow that to drag on any more than we want the manager’s future dragging on and that situation bleeding out into next season. If we wait long enough in this window before we make a move, if we wait until he’s talked to three or four other clubs, we’re going to get blown out of the water.
I’m not even saying, by the way, that Lennon Miller is the guy we should go for – because at a certain level, the fee they’re asking becomes ridiculous, and there will be better players out there within that price bracket. Lennon Miller is a good footballer. But he’s not the only good footballer in Europe who plays in his position, who’s young enough that we can develop him into an absolute star.
But this is the time to move. This. Here. Right now. While there isn’t any concrete interest from somewhere else.
Sure, there may be talking going on. Maybe agents sounding him out. There may be club representatives having spoken to him off the record. Motherwell, for all we know, have given clubs permission to talk to him in the past. That may be where the Brendan Rodgers rumours have come from. But as far as getting an actual firm bid in this transfer window? There have been none.
So that’s our moment. This is our shot.
If we want Lennon Miller – if he really is a priority target – then the time to make the move is now, before anyone else does, while we’re the only club in the bidding. If his father or his agent or the player himself want to delay a decision until they see who else comes in, then we have a choice to make about whether we stay and wait in that space, or we walk and go and pursue other targets.
I think my own preference on this has been made clear. We can allow a certain amount of leeway, but after a while it starts to look like someone doesn’t really want to sign for you, but would if they had no other choice. And we don’t need that.
We are interested in players in other positions. But I know we’re all aware that the midfield still needs something. And as long as there’s talk around Hatate possibly leaving, we might need more than one player in that central area. I would prefer it if we spent our money on a ball-winning, hard-tackling midfield general, and Miller isn’t that. But I do like him. I do think there’s an obvious talent there, and I do think that over time he’ll develop into a really top player.
I also think it would be great to see the sneering faces of those who have suggested that he will not sign for Celtic – and that he should not sign for Celtic – silenced and put back in their boxes. That’s not a reason to do it in and of itself, it’s just a cherry on the cake.
But as with the manager, delays are the enemy here. The window is open – and a window has been opened by his dad’s comments. Motherwell don’t have any offer on the table. So we should be the first club that puts one there.
Its a pitty we have to be included in the Rangers and Celtic being interested nonsense. They are not as flush as the press keep telling us, as well as not being owned by the 49%rs.
Laughable.
Agree with your text adi…
That said – It should ALWAYS be Celtic first and the other mob second in print…
Firstly we are the older football club by 124 years come July 29th 2025…
And secondly – Alphabetical order dictates it as well…
It can only be Sevco v Celtic if we are playing them at Liebrox !
Personally think he would be a big benefit tae the team. Nae messin about. Get an offer in now and be prepared tae back it up. John McGinn should ring bells.
Kevcelt59…
As long as Poker Pete is associated with the Club the potential for that outcome will always be there.
His understudy, the Invisible CEO, isn’t much better or reassuring. Idah’s fee for example. If he had been bought for £5/6 million at the start of the window most fans would have seen it as a good piece of business. He’s nearing 30 goals since he first came in 18 months ago. However as the window proceeded and as our alternative targets proved unsuccessful, Mikey Bhoy returned to Norwich, who recognising his desperation, ripped him a new one thus blowing the fee to £9+ million.
Adam will never escape that price tag but our most critical supporters won’t turn their attention to the real guilty parties.
I view it in the opposite , it’s not too long ago the paw was advising anywhere but celtic , horrified to see him in green and white , whats got him to change his tune ? getting late in the day ? no substantial offers ? bluffing Celtic ? getting desperate ? Celtic have other targets ? you bet they have !!
One things for sure they are worried , player fearing he’s a pawn used by the club , the paw the agent , you don’t have to be very bright to imagine panic setting in , their like a bag of cats now , i’d leave them stew , don’t be the first to start the bidding and when a low bid comes in wait even longer , if the player miss’s out due to the paw i’d love to be a fly on the wall in the millers house
I don’t remember reading at any time that his father had said ‘anywhere but Celtic’. I don’t read everything of course, so maybe I missed it?
Though personally I cannot be 100% sure Bertie – I’m sure that some of the guys on here a while back said he was a Celtic supporter (The Boy)…
No idea about the old man though !
Clachnacuddin neither can i be 100 % certain , but i have read it a few times and it was mentioned on SSB as well that the club his old man did not want him to sign for Celtic but go abroad , sevco weren’t mentioned cos they are skint , reading between the lines i ‘m not convinced the reason those behind him gave was he’d not get first team football , thats a cop out if there was ever one , Celtic were spending good money to play him not warm the bench !!
It does look like brinksmanship between Celtic and Motherwell, if Rodgers wants him we should table a bid. If a foreign team come in for him, judging by his dad’s comments, he’ll go there because his priority is first team football. Is he good enough to play every week for Celtic? I’m not sure but if he gets the chance he has to back himself.
BBC Scotland earlier today was the Lewis Ferguson and Lennon Miller Love in show with both fathers as guests . Vomit inducing stuff completely underlining the plan to get Miller to Italy etc
It is as plain as the the nose on your face that very single pundit /media contributor wants the lad to go to Ibrox ( and as Eric K says Anywhere except Celtic Park ) but they all know over there they don’t have a pot to piss in just now ergo how the smart move for the boy is Europe validated by the so called brilliant performances of Ferguson and Gilmour
When Tam Cowan ( who I cannot stand) in an earlier BBC show today said as a ‘Motherwell’ fan/expert he believed Turnbull at the same stage was a superior player . to Miller ..and he admits he DT never really made it as CFC that tells me what some of us have long suspected . ie .He isn’t good enough for Celtic .and i suspect he knows it and is apprehensive of coming to Parkhead .
If BR didn’t rate DT then IMO he won’t expose himself by putting an 18 year old with even more of a ? over him into the CL qualifiers and hopefully beyond
My view? forget him …That said It wouldn’t surprise me if he goes to TRFC for a song/relatively panic sale by Motherwell last minute sell late in the window ..
However If CFC bid and get him ..I will hope sincerely he succeeds and I am wrong
Sounds so typical of Scummy BBC Scotland Charlie…
I simply never listen to it apart from….
When Celtic gub Sevco in a Glasgow Derby…
At which point their tears are fuckin DELICIOUS !!!
CATH
You and many many more do exactly that
Aye it’s amazing fun Charlie for sure…
Was a great aperitif Schadenfreude before hitting the pub after The League Cup Final !
Do Celtic want Miller?
I’d sign him way before the foreign players we are going after.
I feel Bodger Rodgers syndrome having an effect on the transfer signings.
I don’t like Rodgers, he is taking the team backwards, the boring negative pass backs are switching me off.
Rodgers may be getting his own prefered players, he left Celtic with a team in decline, Lennon came in and finished that off.
Rodgers took Leicester to relegation with his player signings.
Ange left a fast moving high scoring team, he left soon after Lawell returned.
Celtic are stagnating under the Lawell Rodgers double act.
So young Miller can’t fit into the boring style, and with that I don’t see such a talented player joining Celtic.
I’m not particularly enamoured with his tatcics either Davie…
But I sure as Hell canny argue with his success at Celtic FC !
Three players were mentioned but the real question is: is Lennon Miller more like DT or JMcG? If the latter Celtic should buy him. DT was a good footballer, but his low energy style did not suit Ange or BR and his subsequent lack of game time slowed his progress. He’s probably reached his level with his current team. Like Big Adam Idah, I don’t think he can light a fire under himself to reach the next level. AI will never be Celtic’s main man. Can LM do what DT and AI can’t do and JMcG has done?