Bristol Rovers are closing in on the signing of Jevani Brown on a free transfer, Bristol Live understands. The former Exeter City forward is due to stand trial next month for allegedly assaulting a woman.
Brown is available following his release at League One rivals Exeter having been named the Grecians’ Player of the Year. He didn’t play for the club following his arrest on February 2 but did continue to train with the squad.
The 28-year-old has admitted one charge of assaulting a woman and pleaded not guilty to a second count regarding a different woman and will appear before Exeter Magistrates Court on July 7.
He was officially suspended in February during a career-best season in which he scored 12 goals and added nine assists, with his overall goal involvements at that time only behind Rovers striker Aaron Collins and Manchester City’s Erling Haaland across the Premier League and EFL.
It’s understood that Rovers have been working on the deal since the end of last season and Brown has visited The Quarters to meet with club officials and agree personal terms. He is set to become the Gas’ third signing of the summer after James Wilson and Luke Thomas.
Exeter manager Gary Caldwell admitted at the end of May, after Brown’s release was confirmed, that the club could move to re-sign him depending on the outcome of his legal issues. He told BBC Radio Devon: “As a footballer he's a fantastic player and he's contributed a lot to this club this season. But obviously his off-field problems have stopped him playing for the second half of the season, so we need to see how that develops."
Championship side Rotherham United have also long coveted Brown but manager Matt Taylor, who worked with him during his time at Exeter, admitted to the Rotherham Advertiser earlier this month he was waiting to see how off-field events would unfold.
It’s unclear whether Exeter or Rotherham made Brown an offer but Rovers are increasingly confident they’ve secured the former Colchester and Cambridge player on a long-term contract and he’s set to follow Wilson and Thomas by joining Joey Barton’s squad for the first week of pre-season at The Quarters.
Brown had also seen a January deadline day move to Portsmouth collapse after a fee was agreed between the two clubs but Pompey, who Rovers face on the opening day of the 2023/24 season, are not thought to have returned with an approach for the forward.
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