Latest news with #PFAScotlandYoungPlayeroftheYear
Daily Record
08-05-2025
- Sport
- Daily Record
Lennon Miller to Celtic tackled by Motherwell insider as Kvistgaarden agent breaks cover while £11m payday plunges
Brendan Rodgers could face a big summer of movement in and out of Celtic Park as the Hoops close in on a Treble Motherwell coach Richard Foster has admitted he would like to see wonderkid Lennon Miller snub Celtic this summer. The Premiership leaders could revive their January interest in the 18-year-old with Brendan Rodgers is a massive admirer of the prospect. Motherwell closed the door on a last-gasp exit in the winter window with Udinese also showing an interest in the rising star. Since then, Miller has been handed his first senior Scotland squad by Steve Clarke for the Nations League double header against Greece and scooped the PFA Scotland Young Player of the Year award. The 18-year-old has left the door open to a move abroad with the final 12 months of his Fir Park deal fast approaching. Foster - who is Motherwell's Lead Development Coach - told the Go Radio Football Show: "I spoke to his dad a couple of weeks back and, you know, he's very, very tight-lipped, keeps his cards close to his chest and so he should. "I hope he leaves Scotland. I hope he leaves Britain. I don't want him to go down to England at this point in his career. "I don't want him to stay in, you know, only Celtic in Scotland could afford him. With all due respect to Celtic, I don't want him to go there. "You look at Lewis Ferguson, how well he's doing over in Italy and among several others, McTominay is slightly different. He's coming from Man United, but he's been exceptional as well." Celtic face a battle to land Mathias Kvistgaarden this summer with Eintracht Frankfurt and now Bologna said to be chasing a deal. It comes after reports in Denmark suggest the forward's agent held talks with the Serie A club. Campo report that agent Ebbe Sand was spotted in the stands during the draw with Juventus sitting alongside Bologna's sporting director Marco Di Vaio. Sporting director Benjamin Schmedes was quizzed on the future of the Danish U21 international, and told Viaplay: "Yes, there has been interest in him since I came to the club and even before that. "So it doesn't surprise me, because he is a good player. There is a lot of interest in him. "I hear rumours left and right, but that's not my job unless there is something serious." Pressed on interest from Bologna, he said: "I don't know anything about it. Of course, we have interesting players, and Mathias is one of them. "I'm not surprised that they are looking at such players. But again, I haven't heard anything official from any side, so for me, it's nothing to talk about right now." The Hoops also look set to land a boost to their coffers with Bayer Leverkusen star Jeremie Frimpong attracting interest - which would see Celtic bank a bumper sell-on payday. However, the fee could be cut with fresh reports suggesting a new release clause will kick in this summer. The Scottish Premiership champions hold a 30 percent sell-on fee as part of the £11million deal that allowed Frimpong to leave the club for Leverkusen back in January 2021. Liverpool are said to be ready to snap up the 24-year-old in the summer as a replacement for Trent Alexander-Arnold. A €40million (£34million) price tag has reportedly been set by the Bundesliga side for the defender. However, reports now suggest the release clause will decrease to €35million (£31million) this summer.
Daily Record
08-05-2025
- Sport
- Daily Record
Lennon Miller: It's easy to brush off speculation, but I don't know where my future lies
The Motherwell midfielder has been linked with a big-money move this summer Motherwell star Lennon Miller says it's easy to brush off constant transfer speculation – because he's now used to it. The 18-year-old midfielder was last weekend crowned PFA Scotland Young Player of the Year, and he's also up for the Scottish Football Writers' Association gong, following a solid season that has seen him linked to a summer move at various clubs. Miller, who is in the final 12 months of his Motherwell contract, knows there could be a life-changing transfer on the horizon for him, with clubs in Germany, Italy and Belgium keen to land him. But Miller says playing football is his only goal at the moment, and the Wishaw youngster has always said dad Lee keeps him grounded. Miller, who has seen Scots like Lewis Ferguson, Scott McTominay and Billy Gilmour flourish abroad, said: 'You look at these players who have gone abroad and tried a different challenge. Most of them have worked. 'I don't mind where I am, as long as I'm playing football. That's what I want to do – I want to play football. '[Speculation] becomes easier once you've had it. It's easier just to put it to one side once you've had it for two years now. It's easy enough. 'It's nice to have these teams linked with you, but I try to put it to one side and focus on every day. 'My dad has been brilliant. I tend to speak to him quite a lot about even game stuff. I talk to him about everything. He helps with most stuff. 'My dad is a massive part of what I do. It will ultimately be my decision, but I will definitely look for advice. 'He has been brilliant, my whole family have been brilliant with it.' When asked if Miller thinks he will be at Fir Park next season, the midfielder said: 'Honestly, I don't know. I don't even ask my agent, I just let him deal with it. 'We have three games left this season, that's my main focus, to pick up points for Motherwell, and see where that takes us. 'I'd just like to thank everybody at Motherwell that has helped me in any way. 'Have I progressed quicker than I imagined? Yeah, I think so. You dream of playing at 16 and securing your name on the team-sheet every week, and to be doing that now at 18 is nice. 'I try to get better every day.'
Daily Record
07-05-2025
- Sport
- Daily Record
Lennon Miller tackles major transfer question as Motherwell prodigy refuses to rule out life-changing move
The PFA Scotland Young Player of the Year looks certain to bank Well a record transfer fee this summer Lennon Miller admits he doesn't know what's around the corner this summer after being crowned PFA Scotland Young Player of the Year. The Motherwell midfielder, 18, was voted the best young player in the country by his fellow peers after another outstanding season at Fir Park. But as he enters the final 12 months of his contract with the Steelmen, the teenage sensation's days in North Lanarkshire appear to be numbered. Miller is expected to bank Well a record fee when he eventually moves on, with Celtic already having a bid thrown out in January. Borussia Dortmund lead a host of other European clubs from Germany, Italy and Belgium who are keen on landing the hottest talent in Scottish football. And after watching the likes of Scott McTominay, Billy Gilmour and Josh Doig flourish abroad, Miller hinted an overseas move would appeal. He said: "Yeah, you look at these players who have gone abroad and tried a different challenge. Most of them have worked. I don't mind where I am as long as I'm playing football. That's what I want to do, I want to play football." Since bursting onto the scene as Motherwell's youngest player at the age of just 16 years and 6 days in August 2022, Miller has sent the social media rumour mill into overdrive. Luckily, he has former Aberdeen and Falkirk striker Lee as his dad to keep his feet firmly on the ground and help block out the noise. The youngster said: "It becomes easier once you've had it [transfer speculation]. It's easier just to put it to one side once you've had it for two years now. It's easy enough. "But it's nice to have these teams linked with you, but I try to put it to one side and try and focus on every day. "My dad's been brilliant. I tend to speak to him quite a lot about even game stuff, I talk to him about everything. He helps with most stuff. "My dad is a massive part of what I do. It'll ultimately be my decision, but I'll definitely look for advice. He's been brilliant. My whole family have been brilliant with it." When asked if he thinks he'll still be playing in claret and amber next season, Miller added: "Honestly, I don't know. I don't even ask my agent. I just let him deal with it. We've got three games left of the season. That's my main focus to pick up points for Motherwell and see where that takes us." Whatever happens, Miller will always be grateful to Motherwell for giving him the platform to shine. The homegrown star - who also picked up a hat-trick of club awards and is in the running for SFWA Young Player of the Year - said: "I could thank so many people, from the people in the academy to the people who gave me my debut, and the manager now. I could name so many. "I'd just like to thank everybody at Motherwell that has helped me in any way. It's been an amazing club and a lovely club to be honest. "Have I progressed quicker than I imagined? Yeah, I think so. Obviously, you dream of playing at 16 and securing your name on the team sheet every week and to be doing that now at 18 is nice. I try to get better every day." As he approaches the end of his second full season, Miller has the world at his feet. But the uncapped prospect - who recently earned his first-call Scotland up - knows he's far from the finished article as he set himself three individual targets for the remainder of the campaign. He said: "Firstly, to become a better player. It's what I want to do every day. I want to get a few more goals and assists, to be honest. I still have to get goals and assists, they've kind of dried up after my injury, so I have to get back on that. "It's what everyone looks at, 'How many goals have you scored?, How many assists have you got?' Obviously, scoring goals and assisting feel the best in the game. Helping your team win, it's what you want to do, and that's what I want to try and do."
Daily Record
05-05-2025
- Sport
- Daily Record
PFA Awards: Motherwell star Lennon Miller emulates James McFadden, as three Lanarkshire stars win prizes on the night
The PFA Scotland Player of the Year Awards were held last night, with plenty of success for Lanarkshire footballers Lennon Miller is celebrating after being crowned the PFA Scotland Young Player of the Year last night - becoming the first Motherwell player since James McFadden in 2003 to claim the award. The 18-year-old midfielder, who hails from Wishaw, has had a fine season for the Steelmen and earned his first call-up to the Scotland A squad earlier this year. And his performances have been recognised by his peers, with Miller taking the young player prize on a night two of his fellow Lanarkshire players also won awards. Rutherglen ace Alan Trouten won League Player of the Year after guiding East Fife to the play-offs this season, becoming the oldest player to win a PFA award at the age of 39. And East Kilbride star Emma Lawton was crowned SWPL Player of the Year after a terrific first full-time season with Celtic Women, playing Champions League football for the first time and landing her first Scotland cap and first goal for her country. Miller was over the moon to claim his award and admitted if he has half the career McFadden had, he would be delighted. He said: "If I have half the career James has had, I will be pretty happy. "It is pretty hard to put into words right now. It is still pretty raw but I am just thankful for everybody that voted for me. "For it to be the players that you play against is that bit extra special and I'd like to thank the manager and the players I play with every week because they have been a massive help to me and I am just thankful for everything. "Playing another year has given me extra experience, different experience to what I had last year. I feel like I have become a better player. "To any other young players I'd say just enjoy it. Enjoy every time you step on the pitch and work as hard as you can, you never know where it can take you." Trouten scored 22 goals and provided four assists for the Fifers after helping them to the League One play-offs and that came off the back of claiming an incredible FIVE awards at the East Fife Player of the Year Awards a day earlier. After becoming the oldest PFA winner, the striker said: "It is a wee bit of history so I will take it. I think nowadays players at all levels look after themselves so much better than when I first started in the game. It is a different culture and you reap the rewards. When I was younger I probably didn't look after myself as well as I should have, but now I'm putting in the work and I've got the rewards for it. "I am absolutely delighted, I'm over the moon. My family will be so proud of me. They put in as much effort as myself. Doing things on the pitch, they need to make sacrifices as well. "It is the fourth time I have been nominated and it is a massive honour and privilege. "A lot of people just see you as a part-time footballer, training Tuesday and Thursday then you play Saturday. But it is definitely more than that, especially if you are playing to the age I am. "It is big sacrifices, but I love football and I will continue it until the day I chuck it. "I won five awards at the club awards so it has been a good week. We fell short of winning the league but we can still get promoted so that's what we'll be looking to do in the play-offs." Celtic star Lawton, 23, scored in the Champions League for the club and admits it will be hard to top this campaign individually. She said: "It is a real honour to do it when it is voted for the people you play against every week. It is special so I am really grateful to everybody that has voted for me. "I was still part-time last season, I was doing my coaching on the side so now I am a full-time player, playing and training every day and it has just been mad - but I have loved every minute fo it. "As a team, we've not been at our best this season but to be recognised individually is really special and I am just extremely grateful. "It is going to be really hard to live-up to these past 12 months, but we'll see what the future holds."
Daily Record
03-05-2025
- Sport
- Daily Record
I was in Rangers vs Celtic crowd for first derby 65 years ago but here is why this one could be weirdest of the lot
I was in the crowd for my first Old Firm derby aged 10 years old. That was 65 years ago. The one I'll watch along with everybody else on Sunday might, seven decades later, be the weirdest of the lot. A win for Celtic at Ibrox on Sunday sends them 20-points clear of their historic rivals. That's not a gap. It's a yawning chasm. A different postcode. The distance between the clubs would then begin to look like the days when Celtic were in the Premiership and Rangers were languishing in the Championship. But, at the same time, there also exists the possibility that Barry Ferguson could record successive wins over Brendan Rodgers in the league and run up a third win on the trot for Rangers over Celtic in 2025. That's how weird it is on Sunday. Govan is about to become America's 51st state. And what a state 49ers Enterprises will inherit once the takeover paperwork has finally been completed. But in the city of Glasgow's private world of looking at matters relative to the Old Firm rivalry, Sunday's game is a stand-alone battle for the right to lord it over the other lot for the duration of the close season. It is also Ferguson's last stand. Barry's not going to get the manager's job at Ibrox on the back of four wins from 11 matches so far. He knows that himself. But when the interim manager reverts to his ambassadorial role inside Ibrox on matchdays next season, he would love to pull up a chair in the corporate hospitality section and tell the patrons how it felt to put a blemish on the complexion of the season for the team across the road on the other side of the city. And that is, partly, what has been Ferguson's problem while he's had temporary control of team matters at Ibrox. He's got a team full of players who, in the main, don't feel the way he does about Rangers. And never will. Ferguson, along with his staff, Neil McCann, Billy Dodds and Allan McGregor, could itemise the grief they caused Celtic over the years when they were playing and the list would be as plentiful as it was painful for the opposition. But you always get the impression that, in spite of all his exhortations, all that stuff about emotional commitment goes over the heads of his team members. As I always say, Hamza Igamane is from Morocco. He's more Casablanca than Castlemilk. But Igamane could still win the PFA Scotland Young Player of the Year award on Sunday night at their annual dinner on the back of goals like his stunning winner against Celtic in the last Old Firm derby. And that's where the striker, and others, are guilty of a kind of industrial misconduct. There are Rangers players who go to work when they play Celtic and are then guilty of mass absenteeism when they play everybody else, forgetting that derby wins alone don't constitute a challenge for the league title. As this season has shown in sharp focus. But I would also bet that Ferguson would love to see one more example of that flawed professionalism if it meant his first win as a manager at Ibrox turned out to be against Celtic. Even if a win meant, as Rangers' new owners would put it in the language of the other side of the Atlantic, diddly squat. It's a guess. But I think I'm right.
