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Celtic offering a new deal to their £4.4m veteran is an absolute no-brainer despite his advancing years

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Why Celtic should prioritise a new deal for veteran Scott Brown

According to Daily Record, Celtic boss Neil Lennon has hinted at the possibility of a contract extension for long-serving club-captain Scott Brown that would see him continue to lead the Hoops from the front until 2022. 

The 34-year-old, who is currently contracted to Celtic until the summer of 2021, has admitted that his present deal at Parkhead could be his last, given that he will be 36 by that time. 

However, Lennon is adamant that the skipper still has plenty of gas left in the tank following his impressive run of form in the ongoing campaign. Brown has been an ever-present for the Hoops in central midfield this term, having featured on 24 occasions already across all competitions. 

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Neil Lennon has hinted at the possibility of a new contract for club-captain Scott Brown (Getty Images)

The manager has also praised the veteran’s positive influence on the team, both on and off the field, adding that he is not in the team simply because he wears the captain’s armband, but the 34-year-old justifies his selection week in, week out by churning out consistently impressive performances. (h/t Daily Record)

Celtic stormed past Hibernian 5-2 in the semi-final of the Scottish League Cup to set up a final showdown with arch-rivals Rangers and Brown was once again in the thick of things.

The 34-year-old capped off another splendid performance with a brace. A youth exponent of Hibernian, Scott Brown was once regarded as one of the best young talents in Scottish football when he completed a move to Celtic back in 2007 for a fee of £4.4million.

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The 34-year-old has been Celtic’s designated club-captain since 2010 (Getty Images)

Nine Scottish Premiership titles, five Scottish Cups and five League Cups – more than twelve glorious years have rolled by in a drumbeat and it still seems as if it were just yesterday that Brown made his move to Celtic.

Players and managers have come and departed but Brown’s journey at Parkhead is somewhat reminiscent of Alfred Tennyson’s verses from ‘The Brook’.

A veteran of 541 appearances for the Hoops, a bonafide witness of several awe-inspiring European nights and the undisputed club captain since 2010, Brown has given his all for the badge, and he is still going strong at the age of 34 when most players of his age consider hanging up their boots with one last hurrah in the MLS or China. 

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The veteran has turned back the clock with several impressive displays this season (Getty Images)

Besides his obvious quality on the ball, industry and work rate as a dynamic box-to-box presence in the middle of the park, Brown has reminded the fans time and again with his love and passion for the game, as well as with his high levels of commitment for the club, that age is just a number for him. 

The 34-year-old has defied his advancing years to constantly turn the clock back with top-drawer performances and Lennon is definitely right to say that the veteran hardly ever fails to justify his inclusion in the playing XI. 

Leading the team from the front with his commitment and desire and constantly coming up with moments of inspiration when the team needs him the most, Brown has been quite outstanding for Celtic this term and there is no reason why Lennon cannot bank upon him to continue delivering the goods moving forward despite his advancing years. 

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As a matter of fact, it would be fair to say Scott Brown has exceeded expectations this season even by his lofty standards, with his tough-tackling displays in the Europa League being instrumental in the team’s recent success. 

It is true that the Hoops would have to bid him an emotional farewell somewhere down the line but Brown continues to be an invaluable leader with his charisma and, of course, an indispensable component of Celtic’s midfield.

Those claims are substantiated by the fact that Lennon has rotated Callum McGregor and Olivier Ntcham in the central midfield but Brown has always retained his spot in the playing eleven. Hence, it is crystal clear that the Hoops just cannot do without him.

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Scott Brown
Scott Brown has been a long-serving stalwart for Celtic and he has to stay put despite his age (Courtesy: Getty Images)

Despite the fact that Celtic need to start looking at the future and bring in fresh blood to take over the reins from the 34-year-old, they should keep hold of Scott Brown for as long as they possibly can, given his current role in the side, both on and off the field. 

Verdict

Lennon feels that Brown has more to offer as a player for Celtic but it remains to be seen as to how the veteran feels about the possibility of extending his stay by another twelve months.

That said, a new deal for the club captain should be an absolute no-brainer for Celtic and arguably a piece of business that can even be completed in deep midnight sleep.