Celtic Well Placed to Sign Burnley Captain on Free Transfer
As the winter transfer window approaches it end, Celtic surely took their time to conclude their deals for Jota and Kyogo Furuhashi, both of which involved agreements with Ligue 1 side Rennes. As the Portuguese winger returned to Parkhead, the Japanese striker went the other way.
Celtic are also rumored to be interested in signing Mathias Kvistgaarden, Kelechi Iheanacho, Sondre Ørjasæter and more before the deadline, while Luis Palma has completed his exit to Olympiacos.
Recent rumours suggest that the Scottish Premiership champions might also be eyeing Burnley midfielder Josh Brownhill on a free transfer at the end of this season, when his current contract is set to run out.
So, Brownhill is available for pre-contract talks with other teams. Could Celtic turn out to be his next destination, if the Burnley captain does leave?
According to Football Insider, Mick Brown said: "Josh Brownhill has been a very good player at that level, and in the Premier League.
"So for a team like Celtic, he would bring a lot of experience and quality to their side which is always a valuable asset.
"But I don’t expect they’ll be the only ones interested because if he’s going on a free, I think he would improve a lot of sides. They’re well placed at Celtic to do this."
Brownhill is the captain and central midfielder of Burnley, who's having a pretty good season. He has contributed 9 goals and 4 assists so far in this campaign from the middle of the park.
Brownhill's addition to Celtic could further increase depth, experience and quality to Brendan Rodgers' squad. Also, at 29, he is very much in the middle of his prime as a footballer and should have plenty left in the tank.
At times, the Celtic midfield has looked a bit shaky, especially in recent months. Also, with Odin Thiago Holm leaving on loan for the year, there is a vacancy in the midfield department which Brownhill could fill.
However, no formal decision has yet been reached about his future at Burnley. The possibility of him signing an extension cannot be completely ruled out.
Sayak holds a Bachelor’s degree in English from Calcutta University, graduating in 2021. He is interested in several sports, soccer being the most favourite among all. Sayak is an ardent supporter of Real Madrid, and he has been following and supporting Los Blancos since 2012. In addition to his passion for soccer, Sayak is an avid basketball enthusiast. He has worked as both a writer and an editor, covering several NBA teams, including the Philadelphia 76ers, Miami Heat, and Chicago Bulls.