In a recent report, The Guardian revealed that Chelsea are set to rival West Ham United for Gent left-back Archie Brown this summer. It has been claimed that the Blues are eager to sign the English defender but are facing competition from the Hammers along with AC Milan, Juventus, Lyon and Nice in pursuit of him.
Brown’s Impressive Form In Belgian Football This Season
The 21-year-old has enjoyed a solid campaign in Belgium as he has managed to put in a run of impressive performances on the left side of Gent’s defence. Brown has been involved in 31 matches for the Belgian outfit this season, securing two assists in the process across various competitions.
The English talent has caught the eye at times on the left flank by averaging 1.1 tackles, 0.9 interceptions, 0.5 clearances and 2.3 dribbles per game in the Jupiler Pro League. However, he has lacked quality when distributing possession from inside his half based on his pass success rate of 73.6% in the Belgian top tier (stats via whoscored).
His current contract at Gent will expire in the summer of 2027 which could make it tough for the Blues to recruit him on the cheap in the upcoming transfer window.
Is Brown A Good Fit For Chelsea Boss Mauricio Pochettino?
Brown loves a tackle and can time his challenges well to earn the ball back for his team inside his half. He doesn’t mind putting his foot through the ball when needed and can make a few promising runs with the ball on the left-wing.
The English sensation is primarily a left-back but can also play as a left-sided winger or as a centre-back if told to do so. We can expect him to enhance the quality of Chelsea head coach Mauricio Pochettino’s match-day squad.
Brown has what it takes to offer some healthy competition for Ben Chilwell at the West London club in the coming seasons. With all things considered, he would be a good fit for Pochettino’s brand of football at Stamford Bridge. However, only time will tell whether Brown can maintain his good form in Premier League football if Chelsea manage to snap him up this summer.
