Bullish boss addresses transfer speculation around star labelled best he's worked with amid Rangers and Celtic noise

Motherwell boss Stuart Kettlewell insists he’s confident that PFA Scotland Young Player of the Year nominee Lennon Miller will still be playing his football at Fir Park next season amid heightened transfer noise.

The teenage sensation - who is under contract until 2026 - has enjoyed a breakthrough season with the Steelmen, emerging as one of Scottish football’s most exciting prospects. The midfielder has recently been touted for a move to either Rangers or Celtic when the summer window opens, with both Glasgow giants looking to strengthen their pool of homegrown players to fulfil UEFA’s European football quota.

The 17-year-old has racked up 28 first-team appearances for the Lanarkshire outfit, despite missing a chunk of the campaign through injury. And his performances this term have earned praise from opposition managers. Kettlewell admits he’s thrilled to have one of the country’s hottest young talents on his hands, but isn’t concerned that he’ll be tempted away from Motherwell at the end of the season.

“I'm not worried about it and are we sitting here with a figure? Definitely not,” Kettlewell said. “You see Lennon walking about the place and playing out on the pitch. We're as relaxed as he is.

“He signed an extension to his deal we were absolutely delighted to get. To secure the services of a very good player for a longer period of time is a good thing for us. He's come through the academy and from our side Lennon knows, we know, and his parents and agent and everyone who's behind him have all got that same focus.

“That focus is that more minutes and games at this club is only going to enhance his reputation and help enhance him as a player. We know he'll have goals and so will his family. But if we can work together in the fashion I believe we have done then that's going to line the stars up and ensure he goes on to have a very prosperous career.

“I know that his feet will still be firmly set on the ground, it’s just the lad he is. He will run with it and I’m sure he will put himself in a position where he tries to perform again this Saturday. I have not shied away from it, because of the nature of the person and the lad that he is, he is unquestionably one of the best, if not the best, talent that I have worked with.

“I just think he is a really exciting talent. If he was playing at one of the other clubs I would be waxing lyrical about him as well because I do get excited when you see really good footballers in Scotland. It’s brilliant for us all to market and sell the product and the brand in this country. I am absolutely delighted that I feel we have got one of the top guys at his age and somebody that I believe can go on and have a real, real good future in the game.”

Asked about how he is dealing with transfer speculation, Miller said: “Obviously, you see things on social media all the time. But I just think it’s best to blank it to one side and concentrate on every training session, every game and try to get better. The manager has showed great trust in me to throw a young boy in at the start of the season and to keep him there is really a credit to him.

“It’s obviously hard (when there’s a lot of eyes on you at young age). For me, I just try to keep it all to one side and focus on the next day. At the start of the season, my main goal was that I wanted to play as many games as I can, but I don’t think I expected to play as many as I have. I’ve enjoyed every minute of it.”