Chelsea Is One Of The Clubs Showing Interest In Gent’s Archie Brown
Chelsea is reportedly among the clubs closely monitoring Gent left-back Archie Brown. The 21-year-old, originally from Birmingham, came up through the youth ranks at Derby County but never made a senior appearance for the club. He subsequently joined Swiss side Lausanne Sport on a free transfer in 2021.
Brown’s first season in Switzerland didn’t leave a lasting impression, but he bounced back strongly in the 2022-23 Challenge League, contributing to nine goals and earning a £3.4 million move to Belgian outfit Gent last summer.
Since his transfer to Gent, Brown’s stature in the football world has continued to grow. He has provided two assists in 19 Jupiler Pro League appearances this season and has been a regular starter in five Europa Conference League matches, although Gent was eliminated by Maccabi Haifa in the knockout round playoffs.
Standing nearly 6 feet 3 inches tall, Brown is a physically imposing defender who can also play in central defense, in addition to his preferred left-back or wing-back position.
Brown, who is eligible to play for Jamaica at the senior level, is under contract with Gent until 2027. However, the club is reportedly preparing for a flurry of offers once the season concludes.
According to reports from the Evening Standard, Chelsea is among the clubs interested in securing the services of the left-back. However, they face stiff competition from both domestic and international rivals.
West Ham United, Juventus, Nice, Lyon, and AC Milan are all said to be monitoring Brown’s situation. It’s believed that he could be available for a relatively modest fee of £15 million ahead of the 2024-25 season.
Chelsea manager Mauricio Pochettino has recently favored Ben Chilwell as his first-choice left-back. However, Chilwell has been plagued by injuries since joining the Blues from Leicester City.
Backup option Marc Cucurella has also been sidelined since December due to an ankle injury. Even when fit, the Spaniard has struggled to replicate the form that made him successful during his time at Brighton & Hove Albion.
During the absences of Cucurella and Chilwell, Levi Colwill often found himself filling in at left-back, despite his preference for a central defensive role. However, the 20-year-old’s versatility has attracted interest from Paris Saint-Germain and Liverpool, who may submit bids for him this summer.
Although Chelsea is anticipated to rebuff any formal offers for Colwill in the upcoming transfer window, they may be compelled to contemplate selling some of their academy talents to comply with Financial Fair Play regulations.
Two other left-backs from Chelsea’s academy, Ian Maatsen and Lewis Hall, could potentially make their loan moves to Borussia Dortmund and Newcastle United permanent at the end of the season, further depleting Chelsea’s left-sided options.
Former Chelsea left-back Emerson Palmieri has become the preferred choice at West Ham, ahead of Aaron Cresswell, who has made only four Premier League appearances in the 2023-24 season and is set to become a free agent in June.
