David Turnbull, born in Carluke on 10 July 1999 (age 27), came through at Motherwell as a Scottish centre midfielder with an obvious eye for goal. His 2018-19 league season remains the sharpest attacking return of his career: 15 goals in 30 appearances.
Celtic signed him from Motherwell in August 2020 for around £3.5m, and that spell is still the one that gives his career its shape. Across four seasons he made 100 league appearances and scored 25 league goals, a strong return from midfield even allowing for the usual uneven patches that come with life at Celtic.
He also left with medals. Turnbull won two Premiership titles, two Scottish Cups and two League Cups at Celtic, while also finishing runner-up once in the Premiership and once in the Scottish Cup. He was not always central to everything, but he contributed enough to matter.
In February 2024 he left Celtic for Cardiff City for around £2m. Now primarily a centre midfielder for Cardiff, wearing squad number 14, he has made two Championship appearances in 2026-27.
Turnbull’s career began brightly at Motherwell, was defined by a productive and trophy-winning spell at Celtic, and has continued in England with Cardiff. For a player still in his twenties, the central facts are plain enough: goals from midfield, a serious Celtic honours list, and a career still being written.
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