Watt's the Right Move for Motherwell's Midfield Maestro?

As per Andy Devlin of the Scottish Sun, both halves of the Old Firm, as well as Cardiff City, have enquired about Motherwell midfielder Elliot Watt.

Watt was a central figure in Motherwell’s highly revered style of play under Jens Berthel Askou, helping guide the Steelmen to a fourth-place finish and European football next season.

The midfielder ranked among the league’s top performers in a variety of passing metrics, including accurate passes and accurate long balls per 90.

Motherwell’s football this season has been a well-documented breath of fresh air for Scottish football. However, with admiration comes attention, and a growing list of clubs are now circling both the squad and their manager.

With Askou swapping Lanarkshire for the south of France — who could begrudge that upgrade in location — it feels increasingly likely that Watt will be the next major departure from Fir Park.

The reported £3 million fee required to prise him away feels fair given the consistency and composure he displayed throughout the campaign.

Watt’s rise has felt aprubt. Prior to this season, he was operating relatively quietly down south with the likes of Bradford, Salford and Burton, alongside a brief loan spell at St Johnstone.

That is what makes this next move so important.

The right club could propel Watt into Steve Clarke’s Scotland plans within the next year. The wrong one could leave him as another talented midfielder trapped on the bench and subjected to behind closed doors exhibitions — forgotten from the wider conversation.

So, which destination would offer Elliot Watt the best platform for continued growth?

Rangers

Rangers and Watt feel like a natural fit.

They were his primary pursuers in January, he fills a midfield profile they desperately lack, and he aligns neatly with Andrew Cavenagh’s comments regarding a new transfer strategy with a “pro-Scottish bias”. This combined with a few historical social media posts that may or may not hint at an affection for the club, and the links begin to make even more sense.

The only genuine concern surrounding the move is the volume of midfield options already at Rangers. With the likes of Raskin, Chukwuani, Barron and Diomande competing for places, there is always the risk of Watt becoming just another name in an overcrowded department.

However, none of those names feel irreplaceable.

Watt’s calmness in possession and willingness to receive the ball under pressure would complement the frantic physicality Rangers already possess in midfield. He has the ability to slow games down when required while still progressing play quickly and efficiently.

Even when matches become transitional — which they often do under Rohl — Watt’s quick, line-breaking passing would still make him an asset.

Joshua Barrie of the Rangers Review described Watt as a signing that was “staring you in the face” for Rangers, and that feels like the perfect summary of this potential move.

In terms of midfielders that love to get the ball forward, Elliot Watt is in a league of his own!

Do you think he’ll move this summer?

Really impressive numbers for Dylan Tait also 👏

Any surprises for you in here? pic.twitter.com/LTX1LV6i07

— Analysing The Scottish Premiership (@AnalysingTSP) May 22, 2026

Celtic

There does not appear to be the same level of buzz surrounding a potential move to Celtic compared to Rangers.

Celtic have an established track record when it comes to identifying domestic talent, developing it and eventually selling it on. Ryan Christie and Stuart Armstrong are obvious examples of that pathway working successfully.

However, their most recent attempt at this approach with Luke McCowan has not yet proven as productive.

Watt is a very different player to McCowan, so the comparison is not entirely like-for-like, but it is still something worth considering.

Perhaps because the Rangers move feels more natural, it is slightly harder to picture Watt at Celtic. Yet stylistically, the move still works.

Watt dictated games for Motherwell this season as they regularly controlled possession, ranking among the league’s strongest sides in that category. Celtic, of course, top possession statistics, and it is easy to imagine Watt thriving with even greater control of matches and a higher volume of touches.

The major issue is opportunity.

While Callum McGregor, Reo Hatate, Arne Engels and Nygren are all in speculation around potential departures, Watt’s pathway to regular minutes still feels less straightforward than it would at Rangers.

At Ibrox, he could realistically walk into the starting side immediately. At Celtic Park, that route likely depends on multiple exits happening first.

Thought Elliot Watt was outstanding for Motherwell vs #Celtic on Saturday. First time seeing him up close this season.

More accurate passes (76) than Oxlade-Chamberlain (33), Hatate (37), and Nygren (14). Also more passes into final third (10) than all of the above combined (7). pic.twitter.com/r3QPqYLBy0

— Josh McCafferty (@JoshMcCafferty7) March 16, 2026

Cardiff

This is the McGinn route.

The two players are not comparable in style, but the move carries certain similarities in terms of career trajectory.

Cardiff, while not as big as Aston Villa, are a sleeping giant in their own right and could easily find themselves within touching distance of the Premier League in the coming seasons.

At Cardiff, Watt would step away from the toxic Old Firm bubble. A move to a newly Championship side would likely be financially rewarding, and would also offer the chance to feature in major televised derbies against the likes of Swansea and Disney's side, Wrexham.

I cannot claim to have in-depth knowledge of Cardiff’s current squad requirements, so any attempt to assess the footballing fit would be speculative. That said, Watt’s ability to improve those around him is transferable at almost any level.

However, if he has Scotland ambitions, this move could prove a hinderance. Unless promotion arrived quickly, he risks becoming an after thought in international conversations.

Barry Bannan has consistently excelled at Championship level but still found himself on the fringes of Scotland discussions.

It takes a lot to garner the attention of Steve Clarke and sometimes its best to be right under his nose (Or in Italy).

Elliot Watt - Elite Level No.6

His performance at Ibrox on Sunday was the epitome of how to play the "Role of a Number 6" & that goes beyond the line-breaking pass we seen for the 2nd goal.

Elliot Watt has all the "Tiny" qualities that make him Elite:
> Scanning & Recognising… pic.twitter.com/EVmBEbVPiQ

— John Walker (@johnwalker_1986) April 28, 2026

The Serie A

Pete O'Rourke has reported that Watt is also attracting interest from Serie A, although no specific clubs have been named.

I am always in favour of Scottish players taking up opportunities abroad. It rarely seems to fail. Players seem to develop a new found tactical understanding as well as embracing a new sense of freedom — away from the judging eyes of the UK media circus.

Exposure to a football culture outside the UK broadens their footballing horizons.

And simply the lifestyle seems far more satisfactory. No one is greater evidence of this than Scott McTominay who now looks he could have a long and fruitful modelling career alongside football.

However, without clarity on which clubs are involved, it is difficult to properly assess what a move to Italy would look like for Watt at this stage.

Hearts

Finally, I have chosen to include Hearts not because they are directly linked with Watt, but because, of all the clubs and potential leagues considered, even with Rangers appearing the most obvious destination, none may suit him better than the Jambos.

It seems likely that Cammy Devlin will leave Edinburgh this summer, and with Marc Leonard returning to Birmingham following his loan spell, a gap has opened up in Hearts’ midfield.

The Devlin and Baningime partnership thrived of scraps and chaos. The contrasting serenity Marc Leonard brought upon his arrival was notable. Watt could offer something similar — "studs on the ball" composure and a steady base in midfield. His arrival would bolster Hearts' squad as they look to rally and once again attempt to break the Old Firm vice on the Premiership title.

The signing of Watt would not just represent quality but a statement of intent: Hearts are here to stay.