David Turnbull signed for Celtic during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Hoops bought him from Motherwell for just over £3m, which was a club record transfer sale for the Steelmen at the time.
Turnbull certainly had talent, particularly his ability to score goals from distance, but things never really worked out in the long run at Parkhead.
He won six major domestic honours at Celtic and left in February 2024 to sign for EFL Championship side Cardiff City.
However, at the end of his first full season with the Welsh club, Turnbull suffered relegation to EFL League One as Cardiff finished rock bottom of the second tier.
So what does the future hold for Turnbull? Perhaps a return to Scotland with Aberdeen?
Turnbull to Aberdeen likely to be a non-starter
That might sound like an exciting prospect for Aberdeen fans given Turnbull’s clear ability at Scottish Premiership level.
But a move from Wales to the northeast of Scotland has been ruled out by the Daily Record’s transfer guru Scott Burns during a Q&A session on Tuesday.
Burns was asked by a fan if Turnbull to Aberdeen could happen this summer. The reporter knows Dons CEO Alan Burrows is a fan of Turnbull, but it would be too costly to strike a deal with Cardiff.
He replied: “I think this one is unlikely. David Turnbull is on good money at Cardiff City. He is a player the chief executive, Alan Burrows, knows well and would love to do.
“I just think finances would be the killer on that front, if the player was to consider coming back to Aberdeen. The Dons are definitely looking to add to their midfield options.”
Turnbull endured extremely difficult 2024/25 season
Not only did Turnbull suffer relegation with Cardiff, the midfielder missed a hefty chunk of the campaign due to a serious injury.
He had surgery on his hamstring in December and was out until March. Turnbull was then largely used as a substitute and couldn’t prevent Cardiff’s doom.
| Position | Team | Played MP | Won W | Drawn D | Lost L | For GF | Against GA | Diff GD | Points Pts |
| 22 |  LutonLuton | 46 | 13 | 10 | 23 | 45 | 69 | -24 | 49 |
| 23 |  PlymouthPlymouth | 46 | 11 | 13 | 22 | 51 | 88 | -37 | 46 |
| 24 |  CardiffCardiff | 46 | 9 | 17 | 20 | 48 | 73 | -25 | 44 |
The ex-Celtic player started just 10 league games last season and played 825 minutes across all competitions.
He is contracted at Cardiff until the summer of 2027, and is said to be earning £17,000 per week at the club, according to Salary Sport. Financially, even a loan deal would be difficult for Aberdeen to agree.
Receive a digest of our best Celtic content each week direct to your mailbox
