Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur are reportedly among the clubs who have identified an English youngster as a potential transfer target.
The two London outfits have bolstered their respective squads with young talent in recent months, with Chelsea taking that approach since the summer of 2022.
As it stands, it appears that there is a certain onus on creating a pathway into the starting lineup for players willing to develop at the two capital clubs.
In the case of Spurs, they could also benefit from more homegrown talent featuring in Ange Postecoglou's senior ranks for squad registration purposes.
Ahead of the January window, it appears that an English player currently plying his trade abroad has entered their thinking.
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Brown in line for England return?
According to TBRfootball, Gent defender Archie Brown has emerged as a potential target for the two Premier League giants.
Brown came through the youth system at Derby County without making a single first-team appearance for the Rams, his career path instead taking him to Switzerland.
Having made 43 appearances for Lausanne-Sport, the versatile player made the switch to Belgian side Gent where he has since made a positive impression.
The 22-year-old has already made 21 outings in all competitions during 2024-25, helping Gent earn a place in the League Phase of the Conference League.
Their first game of the campaign saw them face Chelsea at Stamford Bridge, Brown featuring as a left wing-back and completing the 90 minutes in a 4-2 defeat.
Gent remain in a relatively strong position with regards to Brown's future with a contract in place until 2027.
In the case of Chelsea, they reportedly wanted to sign Brown earlier this year before sending him on loan to Strasbourg, as they have done with several other prospects.
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Which other clubs are said to be interested?
West Ham United, Fulham, Brentford and Leeds United are all allegedly monitoring the situation ahead of making an approach for Brown in January or next summer.
Much may depend if Gent progress further in the Conference League with the club having ambitions to reach the latter stages of the competition.
Darren Plant
