David Turnbull opens up on collapse of dream Celtic move and admits he had 'heart set on switch'

The playmaker, 20, was poised to join the Scottish champions for £3million having signed a deal subject to a successful medical. But his imminent departure from Fir Park soon turned into a nightmare when a scan showed a knee issue that would put pain to his move.

Turnbull - who scored 16 goals in 34 appearances last season - admits he had his heart set on the move despite interest from Norwich City in the Premier League.

READ MORE: David Turnbull completes Celtic medical

And he was devastated at the move falling through. "After the season had finished I knew there was interest," he told Motherwell's media team in a special comeback documentary. 

"I went on holiday and started hearing a few bits and bobs about how Celtic were going to come in with a bid. I had Celtic fans coming up to me every night and it was a bit too much and I didn't fancy it. I came home a bit early and that's when everything started kicking off.

Turnbull had all but joined Celtic before his medical

"My head was all over the place but it was an opportunity I couldn't turn really down, especially for a young player.

"Norwich came in out of the blue as well and I went to their training ground on the Thursday. My heart was kind of set on Celtic from the start because they'd been in for so long.

"I was talking to Stuart Webber at Norwich and he was really good, promoting what they done with the academy and first-team. It made my head turn, it was all over the place.

"Celtic came back with another offer and it was something I couldn't turn down.

Motherwell's David Turnbull steps up recovery from horror knee injury that wrecked dream Celtic move

"I drove in the back door with my mum and dad, I signed subject to a medical which obviously didn't work out. Done a few photos about the stadium with the Celtic kit on. I don't think there were any spaces in Edinburgh available and the scanner at Rosshall was broke. I had to trek down to Manchester that day.

"I came back up that night for a medical and texted Neil Lennon. He said: 'come in and do some training tomorrow'. Just some light stuff to get me moving.

"So I went in to Lennoxtown on the Saturday. Got my new boots, new running trainers, looking forward to training. I went in, had a meeting with Lennon, spoke to the physio after my medical.

"He said that something had come up on my left knee but he didn't think it would be much to worry about. But obviously it was in the end. That was the Saturday, on the Sunday got a phone call that I had to go to Belgium on the Monday to see a specialist on my left knee.

READ MORE: Celtic ready to 'reactivate' interest in David Turnbull

"Monday morning, I think it was about 6 in the morning, I got to the airport and met Tim [Williamson], the Celtic physio. I found out just before the flight to Brussels that actually I was going to need an operation.

"That was obviously gutting, that was the first time I heard. He just kind of explained everything, showed me the scans compared to my other knee and what was up. I was obviously gutted, it was hard to take in. It was just crazy, really.

"I was obviously gutted, it was one of the hardest things I've ever had to do. Getting the operation."

Turnbull remained confident at the time that the two clubs might still be able to negotiate a deal that would see him make the switch to Parkhead.

However, when it became clear that the deal was dead in the water, the midfielder took it hard. "My agent was still working on it," he added. "I'm sure Motherwell and Celtic were still working on it to try and get something sorted. It was just really down to them, so it was a waiting game.

"I found out that I had to get an operation and the deal was kind of done. It wasn't a great feeling, to be honest. It was a hard one to take. It was tough to get my head around, the first few weeks were tough. I didn't want to speak to many people."