Ipswich Town and Southampton FC in race to sign midfielder - But they face transfer hurdle | OneFootball

Newly-relegated Championship duo Ipswich Town and Southampton are both interested in Motherwell's Lennon Miller, according to reports

Newly-relegated Championship duo Ipswich Town and Southampton have both identified Motherwell's Lennon Miller as a transfer target ahead of their own respective bids to achieve promotion back to the Premier League at the very first attempt in the 2025/26 campaign, but the pair are facing a potentially significant transfer hurdle as European top-flight clubs circle for the highly-rated midfielder.

According to a recent report published by the Scottish Sun, Ipswich and Southampton are just two of the clubs to have expressed an interest in the much-coveted signature of Miller, who has established himself as a seriously exciting prospect over the last two seasons and has no shortage of admirers both in the United Kingdom and overseas.

The two sides will be bidding to compete for automatic promotion back to the promised land at the very first time of asking after suffering relegation last time out, having finished the previous campaign with just 22 and 12 points respectively following their own promotions from the Championship.

It had been a slow start to the summer transfer window at Portman Road, with 36-year-old goalkeeper David Button being Kieran McKenna's sole addition to date - despite being unlikely to ever make an appearance for the Tractor Boys - although they are now reportedly closing in on moves for both ex-West Bromwich Albion defender Cedric Kipre and Azor Matusiwa of Rennes.

Will Still, meanwhile, has also been busy in terms of making acquisitions to bolster his first eleven after being appointed as Southampton's new head coach by bringing in Joshua Quarshie from Hoffenheim in a reported £3.5 million deal and striking a deal earlier this week with Koln for striker Damion Downs, whose move has set the Saints back some £7 million.

Ipswich Town and Southampton FC interested in Motherwell's Lennon Miller amid transfer hurdle

In the aforementioned report, both Ipswich and Southampton are described as Miller's latest admirers in what would represent an outstanding signing if either side were to acquire his services.

18-year-old Miller has been a regular with Motherwell in Scotland's top-flight over the last two campaigns, establishing himself as one of the most promising and talked-about prospects to emerge north of the border in recent years, and he's already clocked up 76 appearances and counting at club level.

The all-action central midfielder registered four goals and eight assists across all competitions for Motherwell last season, while he has also stepped up at international level and earned his first two Scottish senior caps in June's double-header of friendly fixtures against Iceland and Liechtenstein.

Miller, however, who is reportedly valued at £4.5 million, is expected to leave Motherwell this summer amid interest from top-flight European outfits, which poses a significant hurdle to any pursuit from Ipswich and Southampton.

As per the report, big-spending and upwardly-mobile Serie A club Como, managed by Cesc Fàbregas, are preparing a bid for Miller. The prodigy's father recently revealed his son's preference to follow fellow Scottish internationals in the likes of Lewis Ferguson, Billy Gilmour and Scott McTominay by heading abroad, and he also has interest from Liam Rosenior's Strasbourg after the French side qualified for next season's UEFA Europa Conference League, along with Glasgow giants Celtic and Rangers.

Ipswich Town, Southampton may struggle to seal transfer for Motherwell's Lennon Miller

Although supporters of Ipswich and Southampton could not begrudge their respective clubs for showing a lack of ambition in the transfer market by admiring a player of Miller's quality, courtship and potential, such interest may never really get off the ground.

The player himself is eager to move abroad and that's little surprise given the pedigree of the options on the table. Como have a seriously exciting project underway in the north of Italy, while Strasbourg will be playing European football next term - both have developed stellar reputations for developing top young talent in recent times and Ipswich and Southampton may struggle to compete with that, along with the simple lure of playing in a top-flight division.