Newcastle United 'interest' in Motherwell midfielder addressed as boss admits clubs have been chasing teen starlet for six years

Motherwell boss Steven Hammell has revealed top clubs in England and Scotland have been chasing teenage talent Lennon Miller for years - but insists he is not aware of Newcastle United trying to prise away the 16-year-old.

The midfielder, from Wishaw, became Motherwell's youngest ever player on August 31 when he came on in a 4-0 Premier Sports Cup quarter-final win over Inverness and reports this week have linked the Magpies with a potential swoop.

There are high hopes for the Scotland youth international - who once scored from the halfway line against England for the under-16s at the age of 14 - and Hammell is not surprised to hear clubs may be interested in the son of former Aberdeen striker Lee Miller because clubs have already tried to lure Lennon away.

Asked if Newcastle have shown an interest, former academy director Hammell said: "I've not heard anything.

"But I think every team in Scotland, England and even beyond will know of Lennon because of the player he is.

"We've had a number of approaches for Lennon over the last five or six years from all these teams in England and Scotland, and I know this because I was in control of that.

"So it's nothing new for him.

"Have we had an approach for him now? No.

"Will that probably come one day? Potentially.

"But he understands and we understand he has a long way to go.

"He is just at the start of the next level of his development and nothing is a problem for him. He is the most humble boy you will meet. He just gets on with it.

"He has been training with the first team every day and he will play a part in the first team this season.

"He will probably play with the 18s on Friday, just to continue his minutes.

"But we will progress him at a rate where he will get better,