Aberdeen look set to offer Celtic captain Scott Brown a two-year pre-contract with the 35-year-old looking like he is about to end a trophy-laden fourteen year spell with Celtic. With Stephen Glass becoming Aberdeen boss, Brown has been widely tipped to take up a player-coach role at Pittodrie, leaving Celtic with 22 major trophies to his name.
Glass, who will take up the Pittodrie job next week, wants Brown to be part of his backroom staff if he gets the job. However the move will allow Brown to continue playing and Dave Cormack has sanctioned a two-year deal for the Celtic legend.
According to The Sun, The Dons are hopeful of completing the signing whilst Celtic are hoping that the emotional ties to the Parkhead club will force a rethink from their captain. Celtic offered a one year deal to continue playing but their needs to be greater acknowledgement for Brown’s professional development beyond the next season and a coaching role may do that.
Celtic should look to sway Brown back to remaining with the club as a major rebuild is about to begin under incoming CEO Dom McKay. McKay should see the significance of Brown to the Celtic team and even his influence on the game at the weekend. As a result he should be matching the terms offered by Aberdeen (at the very least) and offering him a place in the new structure at the club.
With that said, there are so many unknown variables in terms of Celtic’s new management team and structure. Brown may be unwilling to commit to a new deal if he doesn’t know where he stands with the new manager.
If the move does transpire, Brown will leave as a club legend and will be fondly remembered for his battling, uncompromising attitude in the middle of the park. It will bring down a curtain of the dominance for the club as Brown looks to exit.
Brown and Glass have worked together before. The pair played together at Hibs before Brown completed a move to Celtic in 2007. In that time, Brown became one of Celtic’s most decorated player, became an Invincible Treble winner as well as racking up the most European appearances for a Celtic player. Brown is expected to make the transition into management and you cannot rule out seeing him in the Paradise dugout at some point, although it would be a shame to see the player leave after this season.
