OLD FIRM RIVALS KEEPING A CLOSE EYE ON BROWN
SCOTTISH giants Celtic and Rangers are said to be keeping tabs on Cardiff City defender Ciaron Brown with the defender’s contract set to run out next summer.
Mick McCarthy this summer revealed that he had offered the player a new deal, but the centre-back had yet to put pen to paper.
That all came amid intense interest from Brown’s former Bluebirds manager Neil Warnock, who wanted to take him up at Middlesbrough during the summer transfer window.
McCarthy claimed Boro’s bid was “nowhere near enough” and the Northern Ireland international ended up staying put.
But no news has been forthcoming regarding Brown signing fresh terms with the Bluebirds.
Now, Football League World claim that Celtic and Rangers are watching intently to see what transpires regarding Brown’s contract situation in the Welsh capital.
Brown gained admirers during the most recent of his three loan spells up at Livingston in the Scottish Premiership.
His latest spell at the Tony Macaroni Arena drew much praise from those north of the border, indeed it was why McCarthy moved so quickly to bring him back to Cardiff, having been tipped off by a scout friend of his up in Scotland. One of Brown’s most defining performances was against Celtic, in fact, back in January, when he scored and assisted during a 2-2 draw with the Hoops.
The 23-year-old’s versatility allows him to fill in both at centre back and on the left, which could prove vital given Joel Bagan is the only real recognised left-back in the squad at present. But at centre-back, where he looks most natural, he has captain Sean Morrison, Aden Flint and Curtis Nelson in front of him. Some would also think that summer signing Mark McGuinness is also ahead of him in that pecking order, too.
It means he has his work cut out if he is to force his way into the reckoning this season, which could have some impact on whether he does agree new terms with the Bluebirds before the season is out. Brown played 90 minutes in Northern Ireland’s international friendly against Estonia and their World Cup qualifier against Switzerland in the last week, helping to keep clean sheets in both matches.