Scottish Premiership champions Celtic reportedly face a battle with Old Firm rivals Rangers in the race to sign Archie Brown from Swiss outfit Lausanne Sport during the summer transfer window.
Now, reports linking Ange Postecoglou’s side with a new left-back will raise a few questions.
Greg Taylor, you would imagine, is not going anywhere any time soon. One of the most improved players of the Postecoglou’s era, Taylor has grasped the Australian’s ‘inverted full-back’ system quite brilliantly, not only one of the first names on the team-sheet but also one who epitomises his manager’s uniquely-possession-heavy style like few others.
Alexandro Bernabei, meanwhile, has produced some of his finest Celtic performances in recent weeks. While he did struggle in the 3-0 Old Firm derby defeat at Ibrox, his vision and technical ability from left-back stood out during the midweek trip to Hibernian.
So what sort of a role would Archie Brown play at Celtic? Presuming the Hoops can fight off competition from Rangers to bring in a Birmingham-born 21-year-old who left Derby County in favour of a change of scenery in Switzerland?
Celtic face Rangers battle to sign Archie Brown
The Daily Mail, via the Record, report that both Glasgow giants are interested.
Brown, during an excellent 2022/23 season in the Swiss second tier, has scored five goals and set up four more from his defensive role. Interestingly, the 6ft 3ins colossus has featured almost as regularly at centre-half as he has at left-back.
It is that versatility which could make Brown so useful to Postecoglou. Yuki Kobayashi has struggled since arriving in January, while Carl Starfelt is attracting interest from Premier League clubs. It’s tempting to wonder, then, if Celtic see Brown more as an option for the centre of defence rather than out wide, with Bernabei and Taylor fighting for a spot on the flank.
“The attributes he’s got means he can go as far as he wants,” Brown’s father, Bobby, told The Athletic during his time in Derby’s feted academy back in 2019.
“Because he was so big, his feet didn’t move that fast (when he was younger). When he used to play and all the technical and tricky players were around him he’d just come through — Bang! — and take them out, run up the pitch and leather it.”
Now 21, Brown appears to have put those technical limitations behind him; honing his first touch and developing his use of the ball.
Before moving back into the defence, he even played as an attacker at Derby. Brown scored a hat-trick against Arsenal which once secured The Rams the Premier League U18 title.
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