Newcastle set to swoop for Celtic skipper Scott Brown

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NEWCASTLE UNITED are poised to snatch Scott Brown for free as the Celtic skipper comes to terms with the prospect of being forced out of Parkhead.

 

The midfielder has agreed a new four-and-a-half-year contract with chief executive Peter Lawwell and had hoped to sign the deal which would have tied him to the club until the summer of 2016.

 

But talks have broken down over a row about a fee due to Brown's advisers - and now Alan Pardew's Premiership high-flyers are hoping to cash in by landing the £4.4 million man for nothing on a Bosman transfer.

 

Record Sport can also reveal that Dutch outfit Feyenoord and Bundesliga big guns Hamburg have been alerted to the player's situation and are weighing up offers.

 

But Newcastle - whose stunning early-season form has catapulted them into the mix for Champions League qualification - are understood to be at the front of the queue.

 

And they are ready to offer the 26-year-old a lucrative pre-contract in a bid to lure him south next summer.

 

Brown was linked with a move to Tyneside at the end of last season, shortly after lifting the Scottish Cup - his first trophy success as Celtic captain.

 

But he moved quickly to insist in an exclusive interview with Record Sport that he saw his future in Glasgow's East End and that his heart was set on signing a contract extension.

 

He said then: "I've heard all the stuff about Newcastle but I haven't paid the slightest bit of attention to it.

 

"I'm captain of Celtic, why would I even think about going anywhere else?

 

"A few weeks ago I had the privilege of lifting my first piece of silverware since being given the armband 18 months ago.

 

"I have a hunger to win more trophies as Celtic captain so that I can look back at my time with the club and consider myself to have been a success.

 

"The club know how I feel and as long as the manager wants me here, then I don't see a problem in working out a deal."

 

Manager Neil Lennon has also made it clear that he wants Brown signed up but there is no sign of an agreement being reached between Celtic and the player's advisers.

 

In fact, sources close to the talks last night described them as "having hit a brick wall".

 

Daily RHebel

[Super_Ally 0]

How much were they trying to tout him for after a few fairly average months at Celtic?

 

Not sure I buy that these teams from big countries are really looking at him tbh. Headless chicken.