Brentford 2023/24 season preview: Key players, summer transfers, squad numbers & predictions

  • Brentford improved on impressive debut season in 2022/23
  • Bees will be without the suspended Ivan Toney for the first half of the new campaign
  • Thomas Frank relying on Bryan Mbeumo and others to step up and fill the void
Brentford are heading into their third season as a Premier League club
Brentford are heading into their third season as a Premier League club / Matt Burt | 90min
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Brentford not only failed to succumb to the Premier League's second season syndrome in 2022/23, but Thomas Frank's side also improved on their debut campaign.

Having been overly reliant on Christian Eriksen's brilliance towards the end of 2021/22, there were questions regarding Frank's side heading into year two. However, the Bees performed superbly, once again proving a tough nut to crack at home, and finished ninth in the table.

Ivan Toney's goalscoring touch propelled Brentford to an improved season last time out, but betting misdemeanours mean Frank won't be able to call upon his talisman until the new year.

Thus, there's an element of doubt surrounding the Bees heading into 2023/24. How will they cope in the absence of their star man?

Here's 90min's preview of Brentford's upcoming season.


Brentford's performance last five seasons

Season

Premier League

FA Cup

EFL Cup

2022/23

9th

R3

R3

2021/22

13th

R4

QF

2020/21*

3rd (promoted via play-offs)

R4

SF

2019/20*

3rd

R4

R1

2018/19*

11th

R5

R3

*Brentford played in the Championship during 2018/19, 2019/20 and 2020/21.


Summer transfers

Ins:

  • Nathan Collins (DF) - Wolves - £23m
  • Kevin Schade (FW) - Freiburg - £22m
  • Mark Flekken (GK) - Freiburg - £11m

Outs:

  • Mads Bidstrup (MF) - RB Salzburg - £5m
  • Halil Dervisoglu (FW) - Galatasaray - £430,000
  • Pontus Jansson (DF) - Malmo - free
  • Matthew Cox (GK) - Bristol Rovers - loan
  • Joel Valencia (FW) - Zaglebie Sosnowiec - free
  • Paris Maghoma (MF) - Bolton - loan
  • Fin Stevens (DF) - Oxford Utd - loan
  • Ryan Trevitt (MF) - Exeter - loan
  • Saman Ghoddos (MF) - released
  • Tariqe Fosu (FW) - released

Squad numbers

*Numbers subject to change before end of transfer window

Number

Name

1

David Raya

2

Aaron Hickey

3

Rico Henry

4

Charlie Goode

5

Ethan Pinnock

6

Christian Norgaard

7

Sergi Canos

8

Mathias Jensen

9

Kevin Schade

10

Josh Dasilva

11

Yoane Wissa

13

Zanka

15

Frank Onyeka

16

Ben Mee

17

Ivan Toney

19

Bryan Mbeumo

20

Kristoffer Ajer

22

Thomas Strakosha

23

Keane Lewis-Potter

24

Mikkel Damsgaard

25

Myles Peart-Harris

25

Ellery Balcombe

26

Shandon Baptiste

27

Vitaly Janelt

29

Mads Bech Sorensen

30

Mads Roerslev

36

Yehor Yarmolyuk

38

Michael Olakigbe


Key players

Mathias Jensen
Jensen registered 11 Premier League goal contributions last season / Mike Stobe/GettyImages

Star player

Bryan Mbeumo and Yoane Wissa have major roles to play in the absence of star man Toney, but Mathias Jensen remains Brentford's creative talisman.

While not necessarily a playmaker in the mould of an archetypal number ten, Jensen is a supremely gifted passer who plays a pivotal role in the Bees' impressive transition game. He made 37 Premier League appearances last season and notched a more than respectable 11 goal contributions (5G, 6A).

The Danish international boasts a profile atypical to Brentford midfielders we've grown accustomed to seeing under Frank - the industrious, dogged, and aggressive type - but it's this variance which adds to Jensen's importance.


One to watch

Mark Flekken
Flekken is set to replace David Raya as Brentford's number one / Tom Dulat/GettyImages

Statistically, David Raya performed as one of the Premier League's best goalkeepers last season, so losing him will be a big blow. The Spaniard looks set to join Arsenal before the end of the summer transfer window.

Nevertheless, Brentford had long prepared for his departure and they moved swiftly in the window to sign a replacement in Mark Flekken from Freiburg. The Dutchman enjoyed a fine season in the Bundesliga last time out as he ended the campaign with the fourth-highest save percentage (74) and fifth-highest number of goals prevented (+2.4) in the division.

With Raya proving crucial in ensuring Brentford conceded just 46 goals last season on their way to a ninth-place finish, Flekken will need to settle quickly as the club's new number one.


2023/24 kits

Home kit

Away kit

Third kit

Bryan Mbeumo, Frank Onyeka
The Bees' third kit in action / Tim Nwachukwu/GettyImages

Premier League prediction

Brentford are reliant on the brilliance of Frank to get them through the first half of the season, given the significance of Toney's absence.

The Bees pride themselves on their defensive solidity and their difficulty to play against on home soil, and they'll need to rely on these two things until their primary goalscorer returns. While there's no guarantee Toney will rediscover his most potent form once reintegrated into the team, you can't help but feel that Brentford have got an edge and fighting spirit about them that will get him going.

A poor start could see Brentford looking over their shoulders, but their ability to mix things up and surprise people could yield another mid-table finish.

Brentford 2023/24 Premier League prediction - 10th


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