Celtic 'well placed' to sign 'all-round' 9-goal midfielder for free from England, says former chief scout
Celtic are looking to add experience and depth to their squad.
Celtic left it late to finalise their recent deals for Jota and Kyogo Furuhashi, which both involved agreements with Ligue 1 side Rennes. The Portuguese made his Parkhead return, while Kyogo secured a move in the opposite direction, allowing the Hoops to pocket £10 million for the sale.
The Scottish Premiership champions have been linked with other last-minute deals before the January transfer window slams shut. Talks of Celtic entering the race for the likes of Mathias Kvistgaarden and Sondre Ørjasæter before the deadline have emerged this week, as well as a potential exit for Luis Palma.
Another transfer target has popped up on the radar but it could be one for the summer. Brendan Rodgers’ side have been backed to secure a free deal for this EFL Championship midfielder.
Celtic backed to sign Josh Brownhill from Burnley
As he approaches the end of his contract, Brownhill has found himself in the headlines. The 29-year-old’s contract is due to expire this summer and clubs could sign him for free in just a matter of months if he doesn’t extend with Burnley.
Former Manchester United chief scout Mick Brown has weighed in on Brownhill’s current situation and has backed him to be a strong addition to Celtic’s ranks.
“Josh Brownhill is a very decent all-round player and has been for years. Over a period of time, he’s given consistently impressive performances which go under the radar,” Brown told Football Insider.
“He’s one of those players where you talk about others in the team who might stand out more, but you forget him because he’s been consistently solid. He’s now doing that for Burnley, and they haven’t half done well this season. They’ve not made a decision yet about whether they’re going to lose him or not, so they could still hand him a new contract before the end of the season.
“He’s been one of their better players — but sometimes things come to the natural end of their time. Josh Brownhill has been a very good player at that level, and in the Premier League.
“So for a team like Celtic, he would bring a lot of experience and quality to their side which is always a valuable asset. But I don’t expect they’ll be the only ones interested because if he’s going on a free, I think he would improve a lot of sides. They’re well placed at Celtic to do this.”
Brownhill’s situation at Burnley
Burnley are currently battling to return to the Premier League following their relegation last season. The Clarets are currently third in the table, one point off an automatic promotion spot. If they can’t secure a top two finish, they will have to chance their luck in the play-offs at the end of the campaign.
Brownhill has missed just one Championship match so far this season and is playing a key part in Burnley’s promotion pursuit. The midfielder and captain has contributed nine goals and four assists so far this season.
The Football Insider report claims that while Brownhill’s contract is due to expire at the end of the season, Burnley could still offer him an extension, as ‘no formal decision’ has yet been made regarding a potential departure. However, the opportunity to sign him for free has put Celtic ‘on alert’, as they search for more depth and experience for their team.