Brentford’s Transfer Window Analysis

The Bees are living up to their name by keeping themselves busy in this transfer window, as they look to build on last season’s outstanding top-half finish and continue to establish themselves as a top-flight club.

Mark Flekken and Nathan Collins are the new arrivals, while Kevin Schade’s loan became a permanent transfer. They also added young South Korean defender Kim Ji-soo but it remains to be seen if he will be involved in the first team this season.

Notable Departures

The only notable departures are Mads Bidstrup who joined RB Salzburg, and captain Pontus Jansson who returned to Malmo where he began his career.

Grading the Ins and Outs

Let’s get to grading the ins and outs, and see what else they might need to do before the window shuts on August 31st.

Flekken’s Impact

Flekken is a good goalkeeper and has been signed to counter the expected departure of David Raya. His signing is unusual for Brentford though, given his age and thus lack of resale value.

Collins’ Role

Collins will be playing for his fourth club in four seasons and really needs stability in his career. Unfairly made a scapegoat for Wolves’ failures last season, he is a very talented defender and should fit very well into Thomas Frank’s set-up.

Expectations from Schade

Schade showed flashes of his potential during his initial loan spell but, given the outlay and the absence of banned star striker Ivan Toney, Brentford will need him to deliver this coming season.

All in all, Brentford have done smart business, again, but they have paid big fees for a couple of their signings and will need a return on investment.

Incomings Grade – B

Bidstrup’s Departure

It’s a little odd that Brentford decided to allow Bidstrup to leave, given it was quite a coup for them when they snatched him from RB Leipzig’s academy. That RB Salzburg have snapped him up suggests he is a player worth keeping an eye on as the Austrian club are masters of the transfer market.

Squad Dynamics

Brentford are in a pretty unique position where they don’t have much fat around the edges of their squad. Thomas Frank likes to work with a smaller group and keep everyone involved, though perhaps it’s time for Charlie Goode to move on to a level more suiting his abilities.

Outgoings Grade – D

What’s Next for Brentford?

So what do they have left to do? First of all, they really need a replacement for Ivan Toney. With the striker having only two years left on his contract, this would have been the summer to sell him and cash in. His ban complicates that but a January sale should not be ruled out. Brentford would be wise to move now and bring in his successor in advance.

Positional Needs

Outside of that, a natural right back would help. It would allow Aaron Hickey to split time between both fullback spots and mean that they could have three quality options, including Hickey and Rico Henry, for two roles who all split time evenly. Kyle Walker-Peters is waiting for your call Brentford.