David Turnbull post Celtic move turns sour as midfielder faces ultimate Cardiff City nightmare

Ask most Motherwell fans, and there was once a feeling that David Turnbull would go on to follow in Gary McAllister's footsteps.

Hailed as a generational talent by Keith Lasley, the homegrown hero had the world at his feet after bursting onto the scene at Fir Park.

His meteoric rise as a teenager was astonishing. Within a year of making his debut for the Steelmen, he hoovered up every individual prize at the club and was even crowned SFWA Young Player of the Year.

Turnbull was the hottest property in Scottish football after marking his first full season with 16 goals and seven assists in just 34 games.

Aged 19, it's no surprise that the teenager had quickly caught the attention of suitors elsewhere - and it was Celtic who eventually won the race for his signature in 2019. Or so they thought.

After agreeing a £3.25million fee with Motherwell, Turnbull's move to Parkhead seemed a done deal after leaked images showed him kitted out in his new colours inside the boardroom.

But his big unveiling was postponed for 12 months after an unexpected knee problem surfaced - forcing him to go under the knife.

That kept the special playmaker out of action for eight months. However, Celts kept their word and sanctioned a deal in 2020 that would see Well rake in a club record fee for one of their own.

Despite his long road to recovery, Turnbull picked up where he left off at his new club and was the only shining light from a catastrophic season.

He ended the doomed ten-in-a-row campaign with ten goals, earning the PFA Scotland Young Player of the Year award.

Under new boss Ange Postecoglou, Turnbull featured regularly but a hamstring injury sustained in the 2021/22 League Cup Final was the beginning of the end.

Ongoing injury and