Ex-Leeds United loanee who sparked Marcelo Bielsa regret made clubless before season conclusion

Brown spent the 2018/19 season on loan at Elland Road from parent club Chelsea but spent the first six months fighting his way back to full fitness from a torn ACL suffered in January 2018.

The midfielder made just two senior appearances under Marcelo Bielsa, totalling 11 minutes of action, before returning to Stamford Bridge.

Luton Town took him on loan for the 2019/20 campaign and he fared much better, leading Bielsa to express his regret that it had not gone a similar way for Brown at Leeds.

Last season he was loaned out to Sheffield Wednesday and then left Chelsea in the summer to sign a one-year contract at Deepdale, with the option for a further 12 months.

But a ruptured Achilles tendon, suffered in training during pre-season, has kept him out of the entire campaign and although Preston boss Lowe made it clear the 25-year-old's release this week, with two games remaining, was not personal, he claimed Brown and Cardiff City loanee Josh Murphy had not met the required standard.

“I don’t want to say too much on them because they have got to go and find a club and a future elsewhere," said Lowe.

"What I will say is the two of them had great opportunities to showcase what they could do for me and Preston North End.

"My standards are very high and unfortunately both of them didn’t reach those standards. I just want honest people around me and people who are going to fight for this football club and take us to another level. Ultimately you have got to be disciplined in everything you do.

“People are going to move on. That’s football and these are tough decisions to make, it’s never easy. I wish Josh and Izzy all the best, it’s never personal, it’s just about where I want to take the football club.”