Northampton Town boss Jon Brady has confirmed his side are still hunting for fresh faces, amid growing links to Brighton and Hove Albion player Samy Chouchane.
The Cobblers put their opening-day defeat against Bristol Rovers behind them to beat Exeter City 2-1 this weekend. Goals from Callum Morton and Cameron McGeehan cancelled out Tristan Crama’s opener for the Grecians, leaving Brady’s side in the middle of the pack in the early league table.
Despite making ten additions this summer, including Tom Eaves and former Manchester United trainee James Wilson, Brady admitted he still wants a couple of fresh faces added to his squad.
“Yes, we certainly want to add to the squad before the deadline,” he said, speaking to the Northampton Chronicle. “We need to help support the front line.”
While the elusive striker is high on many shopping lists across League One, Northampton are also thought to be interested in Brighton’s Chouchane, a 20-year-old midfielder. The Tunisian Under 20 international was born in Paris, but joined Brighton in 2020, helping them to win the 2021 Premier League Cup.
Eligible to play for Tunisia and Germany through his parents, and France through his country of birth, the central midfielder penned a new deal with the Seagulls in December, and made the bench for a Europa League matches for his club. He’s also appeared in the EFL Trophy, appearing six times last season, scoring once, against MK Dons.
Northampton are not the only side chasing the player – Bristol City were credited with interest a couple of weeks ago, along with FC Martigues and CD Eldense, second-tier sides in France and Spain.
Writer’s View
If Northampton could pull this off, they might have found their Marc Leonard replacement. He was a Brighton player who thrived at Sixfields, and who they have since cashed in on. If they believed Brady and the Cobblers can develop their youth, why not send another player there, and get further benefit?
Northampton are one of the sides some pundits feel may struggle, but they’ve recruited well, and lumping them in the bottom four feels a little lazy. In Eaves and Wilson, they’ve added experience, but they perhaps need a bit of excitement and pace in the forward line.
However, across the field, they feel sturdy, like a run-of-the-mill League One side, which is a testament to good recruitment. Remember, they were only promoted a year ago, and establishing in the third tier is getting harder by the season. If they do stick to the middle of the pack, it will be a big achievement.
If Brady gets his wish and adds a couple of players, there’s no reason why they can’t do just that.
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