What next for highly rated Motherwell teenager Miller?

One of the biggest stories in Scottish football is Lennon Miller’s future, with the transfer window open.

The 18-year-old midfielder’s contract expires in one year, which means this is the club’s last chance to secure a significant sum for another accomplished academy player.

Miller made his debut six days after turning 16 in August 2022, which was a huge success in the previous two seasons, particularly in the first two.

He helped him with Motherwell several times during his previous term, which saw him win his first Scotland cap and start.

His son’s next move is being represented by “a different club every day,” joked his father Lee, who is a former football player, at an SPFL event to celebrate the release of the new season’s fixtures.

An 18-year-old who has captained his team, made his international debut, and has a recognizable talent that will catch people’s attention is undoubtedly talented.

Miller’s eye-catching eye, passing range, and vision have been his since his debut.

Every club is data-driven, always looking for young players with positive numbers to be developed, sold on, and bought at a relatively low price.

Miller would appear in a lot of databases if one looked at some of the stats for central midfielders in the Scottish Premiership last year.

Miller, who was already a skilled set-piece taker, added eight assists for Motherwell, which was only Rangers’ Nicolas Raskin among central midfielders, which was better.

He was primarily a deeper-lying midfielder when Motherwell’s first two number 10s were deployed, and he placed third among midfielders in terms of chances created by the end of the season and deliveries into the box.

Only Callum McGregor, the Celtic captain, has gotten the ball back more times than Miller, in the more physical aspect of the game.

The teenager also had the best dribbling prowess and the best dribbling skills in the league when he was the most frequently fouled central midfielder.

Further down the charts is his passing accuracy overall, which suggests there could be improvement. However, Motherwell’s direct play and Miller’s tendency to play riskier passes forward may also be contributing factors to the lower figure.

Of course, signing players are not based on individual statistics alone.

The calmness and confidence with which Miller has played since making his debut have been what has been striking about him.

He has frequently been eager to accept responsibility, such as when he scored a League Cup semi-final penalty against Dundee United.

Miller put on a standout display in his first start against Liechtenstein in Scotland, showing a similar lack of unrequited enthusiasm.

Miller and his father have always argued that regular play is important.

Some people believe it would be the best chance for him to leave these shores, while others believe it would fit his style.

According to reports, both Union Saint-Gilloise and Udinese submitted bids for Miller in January, making them unlikely to be the final ones.

In recent years, young Scottish players with high talent have looked to move abroad.

The template exists, whether it is Max Johnston’s success with the Champions League and Aaron Hickey’s advancement in their careers after leaving Motherwell for Sturm Graz in Austria or Aaron Hickey and Lewis Ferguson’s advancement in Bologna.

Other players have advanced in their careers, including Andy Irving and Josh Doig, while Napoli’s more senior players Billy Gilmour and Scott McTominay have had an influence.

“Lennon’s next move is very important because many players will be drawn into joining just a sizable club and deciding, right, I’ve arrived,” said dad Lee.

However, there needs to be a lot of thought, and his next move has already received a lot of thought because it is a development move once more.

It’s on him to do that because we had a lot of fun playing games for him in the first team and doing really well, and we had planned for him.

“The next one, for me, is important because he has to play, he has to develop, he has to kick on again, and there was a pathway there at Motherwell,” he said.

No disrespect is shown to the Motherwell players by the saying, “He will kick on once more once he’s round about better players, in my opinion.

Since Brexit, many Scottish teenagers have moved to Premier League schools before even playing a first-team game, but Miller has chosen a different path.

And in light of his father’s comments about how much he enjoys playing frequently, it seems less likely to be a top-tier player in England.

Sunderland, the only Premier League team currently linked, is newly promoted.

It makes sense that Miller would be interested in the club because Kyril Louis-Dreyfus, the club’s owner, uses a strategy geared toward young players and Jobe Bellingham’s record sale to Borussia Dortmund.

Only the Scottish Premiership champions have been mentioned in relation to Motherwell’s signing of Miller.

Given the number of academy players joining the first team in recent years, a young Scottish player with great potential is exactly the type of signing Celtic would hope to make.

However, Miller’s ability to get as much time on the pitch could depend on how much time McGregor, 32, spends playing in the middle of Brendan Rodgers’ midfield three, will have.

that, and whether Celtic is able to or will attempt to exceed Motherwell’s asking price in a potentially competitive market.

Miller has maintained his level of optimism about what the future holds.

After his first start in Scotland, he said, “I have a year left on my contract, so my focus is to go back into pre-season, work as hard as I can, and get ready for the season.”

“You hear about these significant clubs, but it’s just speculating.