Leeds look set to miss out on signing Forest Green Rovers’ soon-to-be free agent Reece Brown, as Football Insider understand Huddersfield Town are willing to act fast and agree a deal with his League Two side.
The Terriers have allegedly offered the New Lawn natives £100,000 to avoid going to a tribunal over the value of the compensation Mark Cooper’s side would have deserved given his age, and could wrap up negotiations over the 23-year-old’s contract imminently.
It would make Brown our Yorkshire rival’s second signing of the window, having lured Tommy Elphick to the John Smith’s Stadium following his release by Aston Villa, as manager Jan Siewert sees the Birmingham product as a star in the making.
We, likewise, had been chasing Brown’s services since April, after it emerged we had shown an interest in beating Reading and Bristol City to his signature as Marcelo Bielsa was keen to add attacking quality to his squad.
While it cannot be guaranteed that Brown can make the step up to the Championship from League Two with the same effect he hit the lowest EFL tier with, he has been one of the most in-demand free agents in the Football Leagues after hitting nine goals from the centre of the pitch, as well as laying on a further ten assists.
Copper even deployed the Dudley-born midfielder on the wings and as the solo centre-forward on numerous occasions during the recent campaign, with Brown adding a further two goals to his record from the right-flank, as well as five assists, for a combined goal involvement of 26.
Goals were one of Huddersfield’s biggest weaknesses in their Premier League relegation campaign, and we could have done with them just as much in our efforts to secure a top-flight berth.