Kyle Turner has almost certainly played his last game for Dunfermline after it emerged a breakdown in contract talks prompted his loan exit.
The 23-year-old – son of former Morton, St Johnstone and St Mirren midfielder Tommy Turner – was farmed out to Airdrie earlier this week in a surprise move.
The former Stranraer youngster kicked off the season as a key performer for the Pars and his impressive displays saw him win the Championship player of the month award for November.
However, he mysteriously dropped out of the squad in January and has only made one substitute’s appearance in the last five games.
Boss Stevie Crawford has now disclosed that Turner, out of contract in the summer, rejected a new deal and was allowed to leave for Airdrie so the Fifers could hang on to Kyle Macdonald.
Surprise exit for Kyle Turner
Macdonald joined Dunfermline from the Diamonds in January but was due to return to his former club on loan once football in the lower leagues restarted.
Crawford said: “Having a conversation with [Airdrie manager] Ian Murray over the weekend, he declared an interest in Kyle Turner.
#DAFC have today made an agreement with @AirdrieoniansFC to allow Kyle MacDonald to remain at East End Park for the rest of the season, with Kyle Turner moving on loan in the opposite direction, for the rest of the season.
➡️ https://t.co/OGWjtD1uEC pic.twitter.com/mefr1nZrKF
— Dunfermline Athletic (@officialdafc) March 16, 2021
“I asked, for the balance of the squad, would it be possible then for Kyle Macdonald to stay with ourselves, if that was something that he would be interested in.
“On top of that, we had offered Kyle Turner a contract which he had refused to sign, which is his prerogative. He decided that it wasn’t right for him.
“That’s football, sometimes you move on.
“I spoke to the chairman about this over the weekend, I spoke to my coaching staff, and everything that came to this decision was in the best interest of Dunfermline Football Club.
‘He has done well for us in his spell at the club’
“I want to wish Kyle Turner all the best.
“I’d like to think that he has done well for us in his spell at the club, but I would also like to thank Airdrie for their help in this matter.
“I think they’ll be happy that they have got Kyle Turner and we’re delighted that we’ve been able to get Kyle Macdonald involved now.”
