According to the latest reports from BBC, Motherwell have knocked back bids from Celtic and Barnsley for their prized midfield talent David Turnbull. One of the bids was said to be as high as £2m, but that wasn’t enough for the Well to let go of their midfielder.
Motherwell are valuing the 19-year-old at closer to £3m, and it remains to be seen whether Celtic would come with a new offer to land the Scottish talent. Turnbull came up from Motherwell’s academy, and he enjoyed a fruitful last season where he scored 16 goals and assisted seven goals in all competitions playing as a central midfielder. Those are definitely eye-catching numbers, and it is no surprise that Celtic are after him now.
Motherwell’s Chief Executive Alan Burrows described the offer as a bit less. He was quoted as saying, “If anyone is wanting to buy David Turnbull, the fee would have to be significant. Not only because of his talent, it’s to do with the contribution to the team. It would need to be a figure the club just couldn’t refuse, and that’s not going to be cheap. I would imagine it will set all sorts of records for this football club.”
The 19-year-old is an u-21 Scotland international, but that day doesn’t seem far away when he would get a chance in the senior team as well.
What can Turnbull bring to Parkhead?
Celtic had just one midfielder who went on to score over ten goals, and that was Ryan Christie. The club should want to bring in more dynamic midfielders to take the burden off the strikers, and Turnbull’s goal-scoring exploits cannot be ignored.
The midfielder is known for his impressive pace and acceleration. The 19-year-old showcases nimble footwork and smart close control, and this allows him to get out of tight spaces. That is one of the reasons why he can even turn out as a left-sided midfielder. His ability to keep composure in the final third makes him a standout choice.
Should Celtic look to pay more to sign him?
Reports mention that Motherwell are demanding £3m for him in the summer and they are in a decent position to negotiate as Turnbull still has two years left on his contract. £3m might look like quite a lot for him as this was just the first season where Turnbull performed well.
Aston Villa last season signed Scotland international John McGinn for £2.8m. So as a comparison, it might seem like Motherwell are asking for a bit too much. We think that Celtic should let Motherwell keep him for another year and look to make a raid on him next summer when he would be more developed and proven.
