Exclusive: 18-goal free agent open to offers as Leicester table lucrative contract

Josh Brownhill has won promotion to the Premier League with Burnley on two occasions
Josh Brownhill has won promotion to the Premier League with Burnley on two occasions (Image credit: Getty Images)

The former Clarets skipper led Burnley to a 100-point finish and automatic promotion back to the Premier League last season, scoring 18 goals and adding six assists, but has called time on his spell in East Lancashire.

Brownhill turns 30 in December and is seeking a new challenge at this stage in his career. While he is yet to commit to a new club for the upcoming 2025-26 campaign, FourFourTwo understands a lengthy contract offer has been tabled by Championship title hopefuls Leicester City.

The attacking midfielder was one of the division's best and most consistent performers last season, narrowly missing out on the Golden Boot award to Leeds United's Joel Piroe.

Brownhill sets sights on new challenge

Josh Brownhill of Burnley celebrates scoring his team's second goal from the penalty-spot during the Sky Bet Championship match between Burnley FC and Sheffield United FC at Turf Moor on April 21, 2025 in Burnley, England

Brownhill won automatic promotion with Burnley last season (Image credit: Getty Images)

Leicester, meanwhile, dropped out of the top flight after a difficult season under Steve Cooper and Ruud van Nistelrooy.

Ex-Queens Park Rangers boss Marti Cifuentes is now in charge at the King Power Stadium with the newly-relegated Foxes one of the bookmakers' favourites to go straight back up, along with Ipswich Town, Southampton and defeated play-off finalists Sheffield United.

Marti Cifuentes has left QPR and Loftus Road to take the Leicester City job this summer

Marti Cifuentes has left QPR and Loftus Road to take the Leicester City job this summer (Image credit: Getty Images)

Brownhill is understood to be considering his options and is open to a Premier League move. The 29-year-old is thought to be an admirer of Daniel Farke's setup at Elland Road, with Leeds in the market for a No.10 this summer, although it is not clear whether the Burnley man is a target for the Whites.

A move abroad for the free agent cannot be ruled out, either, with sources telling FourFourTwo Brownhill would entertain offers from clubs in Europe, should they be forthcoming.

Josh Brownhill, Josh Laurent, Marcus Edwards, Jaidon Anthony and Hannibal Mejbri of Burnley pose for a photo following the team's victory and subsequent promotion to the Premier League in the Sky Bet Championship match between Burnley FC and Sheffield United FC at Turf Moor on April 21, 2025 in Burnley, England.

Burnley will hope to make a better attempt of Premier League survival in 2025-26 than their most recent attempt under Vincent Kompany (Image credit: Alex Livesey/Getty Images)

The likes of Oli McBurnie and Ben Brereton Diaz recently made moves abroad after lengthy spells in England, joining Las Palmas and Villarreal, respectively.

"My decision has only ever been about me wanting to challenge myself further and continue to grow as a person and a professional," Brownhill wrote on social media earlier this week.

"I feel that a new project at this point in my career simply allows me to do that.

"It really felt like the perfect way to sign off my time at Burnley, by scoring two goals in my last game at Turf Moor, while captaining and being promoted into the Premier League with 100 points for a second time," Brownhill added.

Scott Parker helped Burnley yield an impressive 100 points in 2024/25 - and they still didn't win the title!

Burnley boss Scott Parker will be without last season's skipper in the top flight (Image credit: Getty Images)

The Manchester-born midfielder has racked up over 200 appearances for Burnley, in addition to 161 with Bristol City, 64 for Preston North End and 26 with Barnsley over the course of his career.

According to Transfermarkt, Brownhill is valued at €14 million and ranked 21st in FourFourTwo's list of the 50 best players in the EFL last season.

Joe Donnohue
Senior Digital Writer

Joe joined FourFourTwo as senior digital writer in July 2025 after five years covering Leeds United in the Championship and Premier League. Joe's 'Mastermind' specialist subject is 2000s-era Newcastle United having had a season ticket at St. James' Park for 10 years before relocating to Leeds and later London. Joe takes a keen interest in youth football, covering PL2, U21 Euros, as well as U20 and U17 World Cups in the past, in addition to hosting the industry-leading football recruitment-focused SCOUTED podcast. He is also one of the lucky few to have 'hit top bins' as a contestant on Soccer AM. It wasn't a shin-roller.

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