Stoke City targeting Izzy Brown loan from Chelsea — report

Izzy Brown, the second youngest player to ever play in the Premier League, arrived at Chelsea soon after setting that mark with West Brom, but his time at Chelsea had been progressing along largely familiar and unspectacular lines. Success in the youth teams lead to a senior debut for Chelsea as well, but then the Loan Army beckoned with assignments at Vitesse, Rotherham, Huddersfield, Brighton, and Leeds United.

However, the last 18 months have been mostly defined by the ACL injury he suffered in January 2018 while at Brighton, which he had continued to rehab for the vast majority of last season with Leeds as well. Appearing mainly for their reserves, Brown made just two appearances for Leeds — one of which was incidentally against Lampard’s Derby County in the playoffs!

So after a lost season, what’s next for the now 22-year-old attacker who has two years left on his Chelsea contract?

According to the Daily Mail, one team keeping tabs on him is Stoke City, who finished mid-table int he Championship last season and began this season with a loss at home to QPR. Stoke are apparently looking “more attacking firepower” after averaging less than a goal per game last season and just recently letting Bojan Krkić go.

Brown could provide a boost in that department, just as he did for Huddersfield in 2016-17, when he helped them achieve promotion to the Premier League.