Why Sheffield Wednesday over Derby County would be the ideal destination for Jevani Brown
Derby County and Sheffield Wednesday are the principal interested parties in a host of Championship clubs looking to nail down the future of progressive young Cambridge United forward Jevani Brown. The 23-year-old is wanted by Derby, Middlesbrough, Barnsley, Wolverhampton Wanderers and both Sheffield Clubs, although it’s the Owls and the Rams who have shown a more serious interest in this future.
Brown has made 24 appearances this term for Cambridge United at League Two level, scoring 4 goals and winning a whole lot of plaudits in the process and it is universally accepted that a jump to Championship level looks about right for him.
One of his strengths is his versatility, with Brown having played on both wings, as an attacking central midfield player and also as a central striker this season so far, using his pace and skill to both score and also create on a regular basis.
Brown started his football career at Peterborough United as a trainee before turning out for a range of non-league clubs, though it was at St Neots Town when his performances made people sit up and take notice after he notched up 19 goals in the same amount of games.
That part of his career led to him being called up by Jamaica at youth level and earned him a two-year contract at Cambridge United, though it appears he may have to leave the university town behind in order to progress, with the second tier seemingly his destination. Which would be best for him at this stage though?
Taking a short-term view, the answer would immediately be Derby County, seeing how the Rams have emerged as Wolves’ closest challengers and could yet be a Premier League team in five month’s time.
That sort of success brings its own problems, however; a big jump there would be the temptation for manager Gary Rowett to add top-level experience before next season which would knock the likes of Brown down the pecking order. Should that happen, Brown could find himself sitting on the bench or playing under-23 football, which, in fact, is no step up at all.
With that in mind, he would be wise to head off to Hillsborough. Wednesday themselves will still harbour hopes via the playoffs but it seems less likely, with a full season at a large club in the second tier potentially looking like a really good stepping stone for Brown. Certainly, that would be the most realistic option for him.