Lennon Miller: Why Motherwell record-breaker is one of the most-wanted teenagers in Europe as Liverpool, Borussia Dortmund & Celtic all circle

Born in the Scottish town of Wishaw in August 2006, Miller has always had football in his blood. That's because he is the son of former Middlesbrough and Aberdeen striker Lee Miller, who won three caps for Scotland and also enjoyed spells at Carlisle, Scunthorpe, Dundee, and Falkirk.

At just seven years old, Lennon was drafted into Motherwell's youth ranks, and quickly established himself as one of the club's most promising young players. He went on to follow in the footsteps of ex-Motherwell and Celtic star David Turnbull by attending Coltness High School, and broke into the Scotland Under-16s set up at 14.

Miller's first appearance in the iconic dark blue jersey was an unforgettable one, too, as he scored from inside his own half during a 3-2 defeat to England. The ball was rolled back to him straight from kick-off, and he showed incredible technique to lob the Three Lions goalkeeper with a first-time effort that left all the parents and coaches watching on in awe.

Among them was Campbell Rae, Miller's PE teacher at Coltness High. "Everyone is absolutely delighted for Lennon. From all the players we’ve had come through here, he has the potential to be the best we’ve ever seen," Rae declared after the game. "He stands out more than David [Turnbull] did at this age."

Meanwhile, Miller's father Lee said to Lanarkshire Live Sport: "To have the audacity to actually try it and execute it is ridiculous. He’s got it in his locker and he’s got that wee cutting edge."

Six days after his 16th birthday, Miller was handed his senior debut for Motherwell. He came off the bench in their 4-0 Scottish League Cup victory over Inverness in August 2022, becoming the youngest player to feature in a major competition for the Steelmen in their entire 136-year history.

"If the rule wasn’t in place, Lennon would have played when he was 15," then-Motherwell boss Steven Hammell claimed after the win. "It’s not a token gesture to give him a game, it’s because he’s a good footballer. He’s super-talented and he works very hard.

Miller then became a regular in Hammell's matchday squads, and made his bow in the Scottish Premiership at the end of December 2022, catching the eye in a 28-minute cameo as Motherwell suffered a 3-0 loss to Rangers.

Miller would finish the campaign with five senior appearances as he also endeared himself to Stuart Kettlewell, who replaced Hammell as manager in February 2023. Kettlewell even trusted the talented youngster to start Motherwell's first seven Premiership games of the 2023-24 campaign, and he scored his first goal for the club in a League Cup group-stage win over Elgin City.

But then came the first proper challenge of Miller's fledgling career. He was sent off in a 2-0 defeat at Livingston, and fractured his patella in his first game back against Aberdeen, which was expected to keep him out of action for at least three months.

Despite that setback, Motherwell tied Miller to a contract extension until 2026 two weeks later, and gave him all the help he needed to get back to full fitness. The midfielder showed real character to return ahead of schedule in a 1-1 draw against St Johnstone on January 27 before going on to finish the season strongly, most notably putting in a stellar display as Motherwell beat Rangers 2-1 to record their first league win at Ibrox since 1997.

After racking up 32 appearances in all competitions in his breakthrough campaign at Motherwell, Miller was rewarded with his first cap for Scotland's U21s as he lined up in a friendly clash against Turkey last June. The midfielder then returned to Fir Park full of confidence, which shone through as he helped the Steelmen open their 2024-25 Premiership campaign with four wins, one draw and just two defeats.

Miller scored twice in the 2-1 win against St Mirren and also converted the penalty that sent Motherwell through to the League Cup semi-finals at Dundee's expense, which earned him public praise from Kettlewell. "It's pretty special when you're looking at an 18-year-old who shows that level of composure, that belief and trust in himself, that he can convert a penalty kick the way he did," said the Scottish coach. "I go back to the bigger picture and speak about his performance in general, which I think leads to that, but nothing really surprises me with him."

With each passing game, Miller's influence was growing, and he made more history in November. With Paul McGinn and Stephen O'Donnell both out injured, Kettlewell named Miller captain for the League Cup semi-final against Rangers at Hampden Park. As Motherwell's youngest-ever skipper, Miller helped Motherwell take the lead on his first outing at the national stadium, though Rangers ultimately came back to book a final clash against Celtic.

Miller retained the armband in each of Motherwell's next nine league games, but limped off with an ankle injury in a 2-2 draw against Rangers on December 29. That issue kept him sidelined until mid-February, by which time Michael Wimmer had been appointed new Motherwell boss after Kettleman's resignation.

That change didn't adversely affect Miller, though, because Wimmer "saw his quality and work ethic early on". The German tactician added after Miller was named in Steve Clarke's Scotland squad a month late: "He's a brilliant player and a great talent. He would be ready to start for Scotland."

Miller was not given any minutes in the Nations League double-header against Greece, but it was still a huge step in his development, and crucially, Clarke came out to defend him for his controversial "best player there" remarks.

"He wants to be the best, what's wrong with that? He's a young boy who wants to improve," Clarke said. Miller has certainly continued to improve at club level since then, making headlines for his all-action performances despite Motherwell only winning four of their last 14 Premiership games.

Miller is a deep-lying midfielder capable of dictating the pace of his games with his passing, and he reads the game brilliantly. The Motherwell star can also operate as No.10, but prefers sitting in front of the defence where he can constantly get on the ball and try to break through the lines.

Press-resistant midfielders are perhaps the most highly valued players in the modern game, and Miller is already an accomplished one. He knows instinctively when to play quick passes or when to drive into space himself, possessing the strong physical frame to brush past defenders with ease.

Miller wouldn't look out of place in the Spanish national team, that's how polished his technical skills are. He's also remarkably composed for an 18-year-old and has proven himself as a natural leader at Motherwell, which is partly why he has been named the Scottish PFA Young Player of the Year for the 2024-25 campaign.

Miller has recorded four goals and six assists in 34 appearances for Motherwell across all competitions this season. Those are not terrible numbers by any means, but the Scotland U21 international has the ball-striking skills to be chipping in at the top of the pitch more often, and should back himself to take risks in advanced areas.

There are also times when Miller is too relaxed out of possession. If he does seal a move to a major European league, it will be necessary for the youngster to up his intensity levels because most top teams now favour a high press.

Miller is well ahead of schedule with his development, which inevitably leads to unrealistic expectations, but the next step is for him to take command of matches and become more tactically aware. All that being said, the main thing is that he's got a mature head on his shoulders, and with the right coaching, the Motherwell academy graduate could evolve into a complete midfielder.

Miller possesses many of the same attributes as Aston Villa and Belgium star Youri Tielemans. They are both hybrid midfielders with excellent vision and technique who like to take the ball under pressure and make things happen.

Tieleman's Villa team-mate Ross Barkley is also a similar profile. Barkley hasn't seen much playing time since re-joining Villa last summer, but the 33-cap England international enjoyed one of the best seasons of his career at Luton Town last season as he excelled in a deeper role after first emerging as a marauding No.8.

Although both men are generally stronger in the tackle than Miller and tend to get on the front foot more often, the Motherwell ace fits into the same bracket as a progressive passer with a high footballing IQ. Villa are actually one of the many clubs to have been linked with Miller over the past year, so he may yet join Tielemans and Barkley in the Midlands.

There is, however, a good chance Miller's next club will be outside the United Kingdom. TBR Football claims that Dortmund are currently leading the race for the teenage midfielder, with Eintracht Frankfurt, Werder Bremen, and Wolfsburg also vying for his services.

Dortmund have a proud recent history of nurturing British talent, but Bremen may also be an attractive option for Miller given how well Scotland forward Oli Burke has done since his move to the Bundesliga club in 2022. Miller's options don't end there, though.

According to The Sun, Strasbourg are weighing up a £4 million swoop for Miller, having been given the green light by sister club Chelsea. The Blues have even sent scouts to watch him in action at Motherwell on the Ligue 1 club's behalf, and Champions League football may yet be on offer at Stade de la Meinau next season.

However, Motherwell will not let Miller go on the cheap. "We are not desperate to sell the player. We've always said, from day one, it's got to be right for Lennon, it's got to be right for the football club and we're not going to accept any kind of offer, it will be at the right price for us," Motherwell chief executive Brian Caldwell said in January. "Lennon Miller is statistically - I believe - in the top seven players in the world for his age for midfield players, so he's an exceptional talent."

That was a bold claim given Miller has yet to test himself at the highest level like peers Warren Zaire-Emery or Myles Lewis-Skelly, but it doesn't feel that outrageous. He may not become Scotland's best player this year, but Miller has the potential to get there one day, regardless of which route he takes in the next transfer window.