Brentford manager Mark Warburton to leave in summer

Warburton has been Brentford manager since December 2013

Brentford have confirmed manager Mark Warburton will leave the club at the end of the season.

Assistant boss David Weir and sporting director Frank McParland will also depart the Bees, who are currently seventh in the Championship table.

Former City trader Warburton took charge in 2013 and guided the club to promotion from League One last season.

"Every decision I take is intended to be in the best long-term interests of the club," said owner Matthew Benham.

"Some of the decisions taken, like this one, have been extremely hard."

Warburton became Brentford boss 14 months ago following Uwe Rosler's departure to Wigan, having previously been sporting director since 2011.

Despite challenging for promotion to the Premier League this term, the 52-year-old's future at Griffin Park came into question last week following a newspaper report that he was set to be replaced as manager in the summer.

The Bees released a statement last Tuesday which said Warburton would "continue to lead the club", but Benham subsequently tweeted that he would explain the situation further in due course.

"Matthew, a Brentford fan since 1979, has decided to make changes in order to ensure the long-term prosperity of the club," a club statement said.

"As part of a remodelling of the club's football management, a head coach will be appointed to work alongside a new sporting director.

"The club want the new structure to be a long-term way of working which is independent of whoever is in the head coach role.

"Frank, Mark and David have decided, following long discussions with Matthew, that they feel unable to work under the changed structure and approach as it differs from their football philosophy."

Warburton and Weir will continue to coach the first-team until the end of the season, but McParland has been placed on gardening leave.

The trio all signed rolling one-year contracts at Griffin Park last summer.

Benham said it was difficult to implement change when things appeared to be going so well, but added: "I am single-minded in my resolve that we can leave no stone unturned in our quest for sustainable Premier League football."

And Warburton said he was "relieved we now have clarity".

He continued: "In my remaining time at the club we shall move heaven and earth to get the promotion that the players, fans and Matthew deserve.

"I have enormous respect for Matthew and his investment in the club and he has the absolute right to run the club in the manner he deems most appropriate and beneficial.

"David and I remain totally focused on supporting this squad of players and ensuring they are best prepared for each and every remaining fixture this season."

Analysis - BBC London 94.9's Nick Godwin

"Clearly Mark Warburton felt he couldn't operate under the new "European" system which owner Matthew Benham wants to impose at Griffin Park.

So the man who guided Brentford to promotion last season and has turned them into a force in the Championship this year will find himself out of work.

"You would imagine the former City trader will be relatively confident that his reputation emerges from all this unscathed. Brentford, however, are taking a huge gamble."

Benham became Brentford owner in summer 2012 and is involved in financing the construction of a 20,000-capacity stadium at Lionel Road, which the club hope will be ready by 2017.

He has also been the majority shareholder of Danish Superliga side FC Midtjylland since last summer.