Lennon Miller to Sunderland transfer claim addressed and Motherwell's summer stance as ace tackles speculation
Sunderland are the latest side to be linked with a big move for the Motherwell talent
Lennon Miller is expecting to return to Motherwell for pre season as things stand amid uncertainty around his future.
The midfielder has shone for the Premiership club over the last two seasons, captaining the team for a period and winning a slate of personal awards. An impressive first start for Scotland this week vs Lichtenstein has only increased the hype around the club academy graduate and rumours had sparked on Wednesday that Sunderland were preparing a £10m bid.
It’s understood that is premature but the club do face a decision this summer over Miller, who is out of contract next summer. Celtic, plus clubs in Belgium, Germany and Italy have also been linked with Miller. In the winter window, the club stood their ground after a couple of bids were rejected and Motherwell’s stance heading into this summer transfer period is once the valuation of the player is met, things can begin to progress. That will likely be beyond the threshold of the club record £3.25m deal agreed in David Turnbull’s sale to Celtic in 2020.
What Motherwell have said before on Lennon Miller transfer
CEO Brian Caldwell said previously: “We've had a couple of offers from a club who are miles away from our valuation of what we would deem Lennon Miller to be selling. We are not desperate to sell the player. We have always said that it’s got to be right for Lennon and the football club. We aren’t going to accept any kind of offer for Lennon Miller. He is statistically, I believe, in the top seven players in the world for his age, for midfield player. If and when Lennon does move, it will be the right price for us and be right for Lennon Miller.”
Prior to his exit as manager, Michael Wimmer had said he was preparing for life with and without Miller in his ranks. The teenager said this week that as things stand, the focus is on recharging and then heading back into Motherwell for pre season as focus remains outside of speculation.
He said as quoted in the Daily Record: "Once you get in that first national team camp, you want to get in as many more as you can. I need to show that at Motherwell, I need to play every week and I need to be playing well to get in the squad because the midfield spots are tight.
Lennon Miller on future
"There's some real quality in there. I just need to try and keep doing what I'm doing to get in for the next games in September. You never know what will happen next in football. I've got a year left on my Motherwell contract. My focus is to have a break, go back into pre-season, and work as hard as I can to get ready for the new campaign.
"I know that there are some big clubs being mentioned for me, but it's speculation. You just need to try and focus on what you're doing and the rest will take care of itself. It was a proud moment. You don't expect to start for your country when you're as young as I am, but I just tried to take the opportunity in my stride.
"I felt like I did OK. We had worked on team shape on Sunday and I was in the starting line-up. But I didn't find out I was definitely playing until the Monday morning. It was a pretty surreal feeling but I just tried to be calm and show what I could do.