Brentford 2023/24 season Preview: Brentford in the 2021/22 season avoided relegation with ease and finished 13th in the league in their first ever top flight season. Last season they showed progress and completed a 9th place season. This season would be crucial for the side to prove themselves as a staple in the league.
That being said, The Bees proved their doubters wrong last season without Eriksen, one of their best players in their 1st season. Another aspect, although perhaps unlikely, is the possibility that the club’s manager Thomas Frank could be picked up by another top club. Especially, given the fact that all top clubs across Europe have ended their search for a manager.
Brentford 2023/24 season squad
| No. | Player | Nationality | Position | Date of birth | Age | Signed from | Signed in | Contract ends |
|
Goalkeepers |
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| 1 | David Raya | Spain | GK | 15 September 1995 | 27 | Blackburn Rovers | 2019 | 2024 |
| 22 | Thomas Strakosha | Albania | GK | 19 March 1995 | 28 | Lazio | 2022 | 2025 (with an option for another year) |
| 34 | Matthew Cox | England | GK | 2 May 2003 | 20 | AFC Wimbledon | 2021 | 2028 (with an option for another year) |
| ― | Ellery Balcombe | England | GK | 15 October 1999 | 23 | Academy | 2016 | 2025 |
| ― | Mark Flekken | Netherlands | GK | 13 June 1993 | 30 | SC Freiburg | 2023 | 2027 |
Defenders |
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| 2 | Aaron Hickey | Scotland | RB | 10 June 2002 | 21 | Bologna | 2022 | 2026 |
| 3 | Rico Henry | England | LB | 8 July 1997 | 26 | Walsall | 2016 | 2026 (with an option for another year) |
| 4 | Charlie Goode | England | CB | 3 August 1995 | 28 | Northampton Town | 2020 | 2024 (with an option for another year) |
| 5 | Ethan Pinnock | Jamaica | CB | 29 May 1993 | 30 | Barnsley | 2019 | 2027 |
| 13 | Mathias Jørgensen | Denmark | CB | 23 April 1990 | 33 | Fenerbahçe | 2021 | 2025 |
| 16 | Ben Mee | England | CB | 21 September 1989 | 33 | Burnley | 2022 | 2024 |
| 20 | Kristoffer Ajer | Norway | CB | 17 April 1998 | 25 | Celtic | 2021 | 2026 |
| 29 | Mads Bech Sørensen | Denmark | CB | 7 January 1999 | 24 | AC Horsens | 2017 | 2024 |
| 30 | Mads Roerslev | Denmark | RB | 24 June 1999 | 24 | Copenhagen | 2019 | 2026 (with an option for another year) |
| 33 | Fin Stevens | Wales | RB | 10 April 2003 | 20 | Worthing | 2020 | 2027 (with an option for another year) |
Midfielders |
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| 6 | Christian Nørgaard (c) | Denmark | DM | 10 March 1994 | 29 | Fiorentina | 2019 | 2025 (with an option for another year) |
| 8 | Mathias Jensen | Denmark | CM | 1 January 1996 | 27 | Celta Vigo | 2019 | 2026 (with an option for another year) |
| 10 | Josh Dasilva | England | AM | 23 October 1998 | 24 | Arsenal | 2018 | 2024 |
| 15 | Frank Onyeka | Nigeria | MF | 1 January 1998 | 25 | Midtjylland | 2021 | 2026 |
| 24 | Mikkel Damsgaard | Denmark | AM | 3 July 2000 | 23 | Sampdoria | 2022 | 2027 |
| 25 | Myles Peart-Harris | England | AM | 18 September 2002 | 20 | Chelsea | 2021 | 2025 (with an option for another year) |
| 26 | Shandon Baptiste | Grenada | CM | 8 April 1998 | 25 | Oxford United | 2020 | 2024 (with an option for another year) |
| 27 | Vitaly Janelt | Germany | DM | 10 May 1998 | 25 | VfL Bochum | 2020 | 2026 |
| 28 | Mads Bidstrup | Denmark | MF | 25 February 2001 | 22 | RB Leipzig | 2020 | 2024 (+2) |
| 35 | Ryan Trevitt | England | MF | 12 March 2003 | 20 | Leatherhead Youth | 2021 | 2024 (with an option for another year) |
| 36 | Yehor Yarmolyuk | Ukraine | MF | 1 March 2004 | 19 | Dnipro-1 | 2022 | 2025 (with an option for another year) |
| ― | Paris Maghoma | England | CM | 8 May 2001 | 22 | Tottenham Hotspur | 2020 | 2025 (with an option for another year) |
Attackers |
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| 7 | Sergi Canós | Spain | W / RWB | 2 February 1997 | 26 | Norwich City | 2017 | 2024 |
| 9 | Kevin Schade | Germany | W / FW | 27 November 2001 | 21 | SC Freiburg | 2023 | 2028 |
| 11 | Yoane Wissa | Democratic Republic of the Congo | W / FW | 3 September 1996 | 26 | Lorient | 2021 | 2026 (with an option for another year) |
| 17 | Ivan Toney | England | FW | 16 March 1996 | 27 | Peterborough United | 2020 | 2025 |
| 19 | Bryan Mbeumo | Cameroon |
W / FW |
7 August 1999 | 24 | Troyes | 2019 | 2026 (with an option for another year) |
| 21 | Halil Dervişoğlu | Turkey | FW | 8 December 1999 | 23 | Sparta Rotterdam | 2020 | 2024 |
| 23 | Keane Lewis-Potter | England | LW | 22 February 2001 | 22 | Hull City | 2022 | 2028 (with an option for another year) |
Unlike several Premier League clubs, Brentford have already made several signings this window. The likes of Mark Flekken, Ethan Brierley, Kevin Schade, Romeo Beckham and Kim Ji-soo have been brought in.
However, several players have been let go by the club. The list includes J’Neil Bennett, Lachlan Brook, Tariqe Fosu, Saman Ghoddos, Pontus Jansson, Nico Jones, Roco Rees, Roy Syla, Joel Valencia and Lucias Vine.
With the departure of David Raya almost a certainty, The Bees were linked with several goalkeepers across the continent. Caoimhín Kelleher, Alban Lafont and Keylor Navas were all linked with the club. However, Mark Flekken’s arrival proved to be the solution.
Another Freiburg player Kevin Schade also arrived from Freiburg for a £22,000,000 fee. However, the winger is not a like for like replacement for Toney. Hence the Londoners will look for a striker. Coventry City’s Swedish striker Viktor Gyökeres is the most linked player. Strasbourg’s Habib Diallois another option the club are looking for.
Sunderland’s Jack Clarke, Man City’s Shea Charles, Middlesbrough’s Chuba Akpom and James McAtee of the Blades are options for the club, when it comes to a home grown attacking midfielder.
Brentford 2023/24 season fixtures
| Date | Day of the week | Home team | Away team | Stadium | City | |
| 13/08/2023 | Sunday | Brentford | v | Tottenham Hotspur | Brentford Community | London |
| 19/08/2023 | Saturday | Fulham | v | Brentford | Craven Cottage | London |
| 26/08/2023 | Saturday | Brentford | v | Crystal Palace | Brentford Community | London |
| 02/09/2023 | Saturday | Brentford | v | A.F.C. Bournemouth | Brentford Community | London |
| 16/09/2023 | Saturday | Newcastle United | v | Brentford | St. James’ Park | Newcastle upon Tyne |
| 23/09/2023 | Saturday | Brentford | v | Everton | Brentford Community | London |
| 30/09/2023 | Saturday | Nottingham Forest | v | Brentford | City Ground | Nottingham |
| 07/10/2023 | Saturday | Manchester | v | Brentford | Old Trafford | Manchester |
| 21/10/2023 | Saturday | Brentford | v | Burnley | Brentford Community | London |
| 28/10/2023 | Saturday | Chelsea |
v |
Brentford | Stamford Bridge | London |
| 04/11/2023 | Saturday | Brentford | v | West Ham United | Brentford Community | London |
| 11/11/2023 | Saturday | Liverpool | v | Brentford | Anfield | Liverpool |
| 25/11/2023 | Saturday | Brentford | v | Arsenal | Brentford Community | London |
| 02/12/2023 | Saturday | Brentford | v | Luton Town | Brentford Community | London |
| 05/12/2023 | Tuesday | Brighton | v | Brentford | Amex | Brighton |
| 09/12/2023 | Saturday | Sheffield United | v | Brentford | Bramall Lane | Sheffield |
| 16/12/2023 | Saturday | Brentford | v | Aston Villa | Brentford Community | London |
| 23/12/2023 | Saturday | Manchester City | v | Brentford | Etihad | Manchester |
| 26/12/2023 | Tuesday | Brentford | v | Wolverhampton Wanderers | Brentford Community | London |
| 30/12/2023 | Saturday | Crystal Palace | v | Brentford | Selhurst Park | London |
| 13/01/2024 | Saturday | Brentford | v | Nottingham Forest | Brentford Community | London |
| 30/01/2024 | Tuesday | Tottenham Hotspur | v | Brentford | Tottenham Hotspur | London |
| 03/02/2024 | Saturday | Brentford | v | Manchester City | Brentford Community | London |
| 10/02/2024 | Saturday | Wolverhampton Wanderers |
v |
Brentford | Molineux | Wolverhampton |
| 17/02/2024 | Saturday | Brentford | v | Liverpool | Brentford Community | London |
| 24/02/2024 | Saturday | West Ham United | v | Brentford | London | London |
| 02/03/2024 | Saturday | Brentford | v | Chelsea | Brentford Community | London |
| 09/03/2024 | Saturday | Arsenal | v | Brentford | Emirates | London |
| 16/03/2024 | Saturday | Burnley | v | Brentford | Turf Moor | Burnley |
| 30/03/2024 | Saturday | Brentford | v | Manchester United | Brentford Community | London |
| 02/04/2024 | Tuesday | Brentford | v | Brighton | Brentford Community | London |
| 06/04/2024 | Saturday | Aston Villa |
v |
Brentford | Villa Park | Birmingham |
| 13/04/2024 | Saturday | Brentford | v | Sheffield United | Brentford Community | Liverpool |
| 20/04/2024 | Saturday | Luton Town | v | Brentford | Kenilworth Road | Luton |
| 27/04/2024 | Saturday | Everton | v | Brentford | Goodison Park | Liverpool |
| 04/05/2024 | Saturday | Brentford | v | Fulham | Brentford Community | London |
Thomas Frank’s men have won many hearts over the last couple of seasons. The club’s policy on and off the field only projects progress for the club. However, it will be difficult to climb up this extremely competitive top half of the Premier League. Therefore, another mid table finish is the most likely outcome for the team and I don’t see them pushing for UEFA competitions.
