Everton transfer news – Archie Brown
The Daily Mail claims that Archie Brown, a fullback who has had an amazing season in Belgium, is being watched by a number of clubs, including Everton. The publication also claims that Burnley, a Premier League team, and Leeds United, a Championship team, are vying with Everton for the 21-year-old’s signing.
Brown rose through Derby County’s youth system and won the club’s first-ever trophy in the U18 Premier League final against Arsenal in 2020 with a hat-trick. His father even called him “stonewall” due to his extremely serious facial expressions.
Despite being offered a new contract in 2021, the youngster decided to take a risk by signing for Lausanne-Sport, owned by INEOS. Having stayed with the Swiss side for two years, Belgian Pro League club Gent came calling in the recent summer window for £3.4m
Brown has been making waves with De Buffalo’s. However, as the defender has played for two clubs this season, he potentially wouldn’t feature for Everton until the following campaign due to FIFA regulations.
Archie Brown’s stats this season
This season, Brown has been a regular member of Gent’s first-team and has made 18 appearances in all competitions, totalling 1,388 minutes as Hein Vanhaezebrouck’s men currently sit in third.
Additionally, the young wide player has featured in a whole host of different positions, from being a left-winger to a left-back to even playing as a centre-back with the Belgian club. However, throughout his infant career, Brown’s most utilised position has been as a left-back.
It was reported this past week that manager Sean Dyche is willing to let Ben Godfrey leave this winter, with Tottenham Hotspur keen to sign the ex-Norwich City star. Godfrey has played just two league games this season with the Toffees.
Godfrey is Vitaliy Mykolenko’s only backup option on the left side of the defence. Ashley Young can fill in at left-back but will be 39 in the summer and can’t be considered as much of a long-term option. This is where the signing of Brown makes sense.
Brown has actually been surpassing Godfrey and Mykolenko this season in a number of important offensive and defensive stats; the only areas in which he has been surpassed are successful takeaways, tackles, and blocks made per ninety.
Brown’s market value is estimated by Football Transfers to be between £1.7 million and £3 million, but since he still has less than four years left on his Gent contract, Everton probably has to pay a lot more.
But given his statistical output this season, the Toffees have signed a guy who may have a higher ceiling than Mykolenko, which makes this a potentially very wise move.
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