The initial impact of Luke McCowan at Celtic has shown that there is transfer value to find in the Scottish Premiership, and the Bhoys have been told to consider another league standout.
Celtic haven’t made many domestic transfers in recent years.
In the last decade, players such as David Turnbull, Stuart Armstrong and Ryan Christie have all arrived to play regularly for the first team, but the club’s recruitment has largely focused on talents from other countries.
Along the way, prospects such as Aaron Hickey, Lewis Ferguson, and John McGinn have left the league and gone on to earn plaudits for their performances across Europe.
Are Premiership players undervalued at the Bhoys? There’s an argument for that and it’s something to consider as another standout talent earns a reputation.
Lennon Miller showing potential that Celtic should consider
Lennon Miller, still just 18, has emerged as Motherwell’s most influential and important player – currently showing the kind of form that must be catching Celtic’s eye.
The central midfielder has scored four goals and assisted three more in 13 appearances this term, helping his club into a top-four position in the table.
Go Radio pundit Jamie Murphy reckons that Celtic should absolutely be considering him as a potential signing in upcoming transfer windows.
He said, “He’s been terrific. To come in the way he has, settle into the team, and almost be the main man at that age is really, really difficult to do, so it is no wonder why teams are looking at him. I expect him to move on sooner rather than later.
“He’s the type of player both Celtic and Rangers should be looking at. Look at the best players in Scotland first and foremost before you go to a foreign player. That is where the bread and butter is. You want to have those players you can develop and play over time.
“I think both teams should definitely be looking at Lennon Miller.”
It’s still early days for the teenager, of course. He has to sustain stellar form over an entire season before a club like Celtic will commit, but the initial signs are that he will have a high-quality career.
Michael Stewart predicts his transfer value will soar
Miller is being discussed a lot at the moment, in part due to him winning the Premiership Player of the Month award for September.
The Scotland U21 star is predicted to earn a good fee for Motherwell, in excess of the £3.25m Celtic paid for Turnbull, but pundit Michael Stewart thinks that investing now could pay off in the future.
He told Premier Sports this week, “You could have a mansion on a certain street, and it has a ceiling price. You put that mansion on another street, and it has a far greater value. And it’s the same in football.
“Lennon Miller is a quality player. At Motherwell, there is a ceiling price in terms of what would be paid.
“In a couple of years time, say he was playing in a different country or a different league, that value is going to be through the roof I would imagine.
“When I say £5m, I genuinely think that Motherwell could get between £3m to £5m for him.
What Lennon Miller’s family are saying about his situation
Miller’s father is former Aberdeen star Lee Miller, who has stated that his son is ambitious enough to want to play at the highest level in football.
However, it appears he is happy developing at Fir Park for now.
Miller senior told PLZ Soccer last month, “He’s not interested in going anywhere else right now in terms of he wants to rack up as many games as possible.
“That time will probably come, and he wants to play at the highest level, Lennon. But I go through different scenarios with him all the time. ‘Think if this happened, this could happen’ in different situations.
“And he’s got ambition, he’s got massive ambition, he wants to be a Scottish international, play at the highest level. The way he’s going just now he will do that, but there’s no rush for that, and he understands that as well.”
The Motherwell star is undoubtedly a player to watch over the coming season. Given the hype, if there’s no January move, then a summer one is likely to follow. It’ll be very interesting to see if Celtic are in the mix for his signature.
Although currently well-stocked in midfield, the Bhoys are always on the lookout for the best domestic prospects available who have the attributes to become a success at the champions.
Celtic have the resources and the scouts to ensure good-value gems do not leave the country only to pay off for others down the line. They can’t get it right every time, but the club should be at the forefront of developing homegrown talent.
