CELTIC did NOT follow up their initial interest in Motherwell midfielder Lennon Miller.
The champions were linked with the 18-year-old playmaker in the January transfer window, but they haven’t pursued the Scotland international this time around, according to a report in The Scottish Sun.
Miller is now on the verge of £4.75million switch to Serie A club Udinese and is scheduled to undergo a medical today.
The fee is a record for the Fir Park outfit with their previous high set at the £2.75million the Hoops paid for David Turnbull five years ago. Unfortunately, the middle-of-the-park performer failed to make the expected impact at Parkhead and was sold to Cardiff City for £2million in January last year.
ON THE BALL…Lennon Miller during his debut for Scotland in the 3-1 defeat against Iceland at Hampden in June.
The only other firm offer for Miller is reported to have come from newly-promoted Ipswich Town, but it appeared the teenager preferred to move to the continent and is on the verge of a five-year contract with the Italian side.
Clearly, Brendan Rodgers doesn’t see adding to his midfield contingent where he already has skipper Callum McGregor, Reo Hatate, Arne Engels, Luke McCowan, Paulo Bernardo and £1.7million new Bhoy Benjamin Nygren vying for places.
Miller is now set to join fellow-Scottish stars Scott McTominay and Billy Gilmour (both Napoli), Lewis Ferguson (Bologna), Che Adams (Torino), Josh Doig (Sassuolo) and ex-Hoops prospect Liam Henderson (Sampdoria) in Italy’s top flight.
Former Celtic fans’ favourite Matt O’Riley also looks to be heading in the same direction with Juventus hoping to complete a £25million switch from Brighton. The elegant operator was sold for the same fee by the Hoops last summer.
