Brentford

Image source, Getty Images

Brentford head coach Keith Andrews says he has "loved every minute" of the club's pre-season training camp in Portugal, adding that he is "really pleased" following the 1-1 draw with Primeira Liga side Gil Vicente on Friday night.

Igor Thiago was the only player to get on the scoresheet as summer signings Caoimhin Kelleher, Jordan Henderson and Antoni Milambo were all handed their first minutes in his first game in charge.

"I've loved every minute of it," Andrews told the club's media, external after the friendly. "We have pushed the players to where we want to bring them. We have been demanding of them.

"I was really pleased overall. This week has been geared towards this game and the plan was to play the majority of players for 45 minutes in two different halves.

"The first half had the more senior players playing, getting to know each other, working on things from training. It was maybe not to the level we wanted, but it is pre-season and that's why we are working on it.

"I was slightly disappointed with the start of the second. We were a bit passive but then we got a grip of the game and we were solid. The younger team out there will gain confidence from that."

The Bees are travelling back to England next week to continue their pre-season preparations, but Andrews could be without Brazilian youngster Gustavo Nunes who was forced off with an injury in the second-half.

"He has obviously felt his hamstring," Andrews said. "It is devastating for him because he came back from his holiday slightly earlier to get ready for pre-season and put himself in this position.

"After a frustrating season last year with injuries, hopefully it is nothing too serious because he is a talented player."

Image source, Brentford FC

Brentford have unveiled their new away kit for the 2025-26 season, inspired by the Bees' connection to nature.

The strip celebrates the club's "historical associatioin with bees" that goes back to the early part of the 20th Century.

It features a brown-coloured base with gold-coloured detailing and marks the first time the club has used their single Brentford bee logo.

There is a bee-wing pattern throughout the shirt, with gold detailing across the collar - which has a special 'Bees' logo on the back - as well as the sleeves.

To support Brentford's sustainability efforts, the replica away shirts are made of 100 % recycled polyester, which helps prevent materials from being sent to landfills and requires less energy than conventional polyester.

What do you make of it?

Choose your verdict here

Image source, Getty Images

We asked whether Brentford should be doing all they can to keep Yoane Wissa or sell the striker, following news he has left the club's pre-season base in Portugal for talks over his future amid interest from other Premier League clubs.

Here are some of your comments:

Chris: It's perfectly simple really. Wissa MUST remain at the club and we have to rebuff any offers for him. Wissa, Bryan Mbeumo and Christian Norgaard contributed exactly two-thirds of our Premier League goals between them last season (44 of 66). Irrespective of Wissa's age and transfer value, we have to factor in the financial impact of being relegated, especially with a rookie manager. Surely?

Elizabeth: If he's unhappy staying, perhaps it's time for him to go.

Allan: Although we always seem to recruit well and someone steps up to the plate, I think after losing our manager, goalkeeper, captain and our best forward in this transfer window, and despite buying in some good replacements, losing Wissa would be disappointing. But if he wants to go and they meet our valuation, then he should go.

Nick: Wissa is a fan favourite and clearly very popular around the squad. He also scored 19 non-penalty goals last season. All that is almost impossible to replace but I don't think we can stand in his way either. Close that transfer window now!

Peter: Never believed it's worth trying to keep a player who wants to go. Get the best deal and move on. I have total faith that the future is bright.

Nick: Wissa has been a great servant of the club and one of the hardest-working players on the pitch. He would be of serious value to any club and deserves a chance, similar to Mbeumo, to play at a higher level and in Europe. However, his value should not be underestimated and £25m is a joke - £40-50m would show the respect to the player that they really want him.

Rick: Mbeumo and Wissa have been great assets. however, with Mbeumo already gone and with all the other changes - particularly Thomas Frank and Christian Norgaard having also left - it's a chance to rebuild again for the future. There is a strong enough squad, and although sad to see him go, it's the right time for Wissa to earn a good sum somewhere else and for Brentford to cash in on this asset. Just when key players have left and you wonder how the Bees will manage, they always succeed in doing a little bit better. Look at Ivan Toney going - the team played even better without him. Same now with Wissa - the club get a worthwhile transfer fee and Wissa gets the big payout he deserves.

David: I've always rated Wissa since we signed him. To lose both Mbeumo and Wissa would be tragic. I trust there will be a plan but I'm glad I don't have to make it!

• Sign up for news alerts on your Premier League club

Brentford have rejected an opening offer of £30m from Premier League rivals Newcastle United for forward Yoane Wissa. (TBRfootball, external)

Want more transfer stories? Read Wednesday's full gossip column

Follow the gossip column on BBC Sport

Image source, Getty Images

Brentford defender Kim Ji-soo has joined German second-tier club Kaiserslautern on loan for the whole of the 2025-26 season.

The 20-year-old started the FA Cup third-round loss to Plymouth and made four other substitute appearances last term - three of them in the Premier League.

"This is an excellent opportunity for him to go and play competitive football at a good level," said Bees director of football Phil Giles.

"He has made good progress since joining us and we were very pleased to see him get a Premier League debut last year."

Sami Mokbel
Senior football correspondent

Image source, Getty Images

After leaving the team's pre-season base in Portugal, Yoane Wissa will now hold talks with Brentford director of football Phil Giles.

Newcastle, Spurs and Nottingham Forest are among those with a firm interest in signing the DR Congo forward.

The outcome of the meeting is likely to be pivotal towards how Brentford approach resolving Wissa's future.

Brentford recently tried to open negotiations with Wissa over a new contract, but he is understood to prefer a move away this summer.

It comes after Bryan Mbeumo left for Manchester United in a deal worth an initial £65m.

Brentford initially had no intention of losing both Mbeumo and Wissa this summer.

However, with Wissa turning 29 in September, the scenario of a depreciating asset - who this summer could command a fee in the region of £40m, if not more - will likely be a consideration.

That he has just 12 months left on his current deal, though there is an option to activate by a further year, is another factor to mull over.

Should the club double down on keeping Wissa after Mbeumo's exit? Or would they be better cashing in and having a clean slate to work with?

Let us know

Image source, Getty Images

With Brentford having already lost their manager and captain, they are now going through a period of seemingly never-ending transfer speculation around their star players, so we asked for your views on the summer of upheaval for the Bees.

Here are some of your comments:

Charlie: Losing Thomas Frank will be the biggest problem. We've sold a lot of top strikers before (Neal Maupay, Said Benrahma, Ollie Watkins, Ivan Toney) and survived, but there are a lot of core players now going. Jordan Henderson could be a good leader and Igor Thiago will hopefully play and be good. With all the money coming in, I can't understand why we're not going for Liverpool's Harvey Elliott - surely a good fit?

Carl: It is a massive summer for the club. We will need to recruit across the pitch to keep up recent levels. I would raid the unhappy bunch at Manchester United and give people like Jadon Sancho, Marcus Rashford and Alejandro Garnacho their mojo back - in exchange for a fulfilling life with less money!

Darrell: Brentford fans expect nothing. Look at where we came from? The past 13 years have been one hell of a journey, but there is no doubt that the summer of 2025 is going to test the club's approach. Bring it on!

Stuart: A difficult summer with Bryan Mbeumo and Frank swapping mid-table obscurity for a relegation dog-fight, Mark Flekken heading off to Germany, Christian Norgaard off to sit on Arsenal's bench, and now speculation about Yoane Wissa. But it is not all doom and gloom. We have upgraded our keeper, Henderson is a perfectly able short-term replacement for Noorgard, Thiago will shine up front in place of Wissa, and hopefully we can get a deal done for Omari Hutchinson as a replacement for Mbeumo. The only uncertainty is whether or not our new manager can successfully make the step up. Come on, you Bees!

HerzyBee: Brentford fans embrace change as part of the club's development. We trust the management to fire up the conveyor belt of talent and replace those who have moved on. There is a bond of trust that the club looks forward but learns from the past. 'Little old Brentford' has gone - and the 'bus stop in Hounslow' moves onward and upwards...

Anthony: We at Brentford know what we are - a selling club. Every year we sell our star. Every year we are doomed by the media for relegation. Every year pundits are surprised by us and a new star emerges. Keep doubting us, because we revel in it! Here's to another year of critics being wrong!

• Find and follow your Premier League club on BBC Sport

Brentford's Yoane Wissa would prefer to join Tottenham and reunite with Thomas Frank, despite Newcastle United showing an interest in the forward. (Talksport, external)

Want more transfer stories? Read Friday's full gossip column

Follow the gossip column on BBC Sport

If you don't mind us saying so, it feels like you Brentford fans are having a strange summer.

The Bees have received some investment - as this page reported earlier in the week - which should, in theory, help improve the squad.

Naturally, there's the small matter of the club's charismatic manager leaving, which was far from ideal. The loss of the captain wasn't great either.

And, in some respects, is this image below perhaps a scenario that represented a worst nightmare back in May?

Forgive us for using an image of our own site but you can see where we are going with this.

A lot is going on at the Gtech - it's a lot to digest and the future seems blurry.

So please, in detail, tell us what you think about things and how you're feeling.

Send your thoughts here

Dan Roan
Sports editor

If Liverpool do sign Hugo Ekitike at Newcastle's expense, then you'd imagine the Magpies will reflect on their decision to walk away from a £20m deal to sign the 23-year-old striker three years ago, only to then pivot and sign Alexander Isak from Real Sociedad.

Ekitike's emergence as one of the continent's best young strikers has seen his value sky-rocket. His asking price is part of the reason why Newcastle have failed to sign the French striker in recent days.

Ekitike's rise to prominence has also resulted in Europe's top clubs entering the equation.

When Liverpool come knocking it's hard to ignore. His 26 goals in 47 appearances for Frankfurt has been enough for the Merseysiders to take the plunge in a deal that will cost in-excess of £70m.

Liverpool sporting director Richard Hughes is aiming to have the deal for Ekitike closed by the end of the weekend, while Newcastle's wait for a new striker moves on.

They are interested in Yoane Wissa, but it will be intriguing to see how Manchester United's latest bid for Brentford team-mate Bryan Mbeumo impacts the Democratic Republic of Congo international's potential move to St James' Park.

Brentford are adamant they don't want to lose Wissa and Mbeumo this summer, particularly given the upheaval that has already impacted the west London club.

There are questions that still need answering for Newcastle - though those close to the club will tell you keeping Isak is the solution to most of their problems.

Read more on Isak, Ekitike and Wissa

Tom McCoy
BBC Sport journalist

Image source, Getty Images

If Brentford are to sign Ipswich's Omari Hutchinson, they will have to make him the most expensive player in their history - having already had a £35m bid turned down.

The only player the Bees have paid £30m or more for is Brazilian striker Igor Thiago, who has started just one Premier League game since joining last summer because of a knee injury.

Forward Kevin Schade briefly became the Bees' record buy when his loan move from Freiburg was made permanent two years ago, but that deal was eclipsed when Nathan Collins arrived from Wolves for £23m a month later.

While Brentford's recruitment has largely been funded by player sales, their spending shows just how far they have progressed under owner Matthew Benham.

It was as recently as 2014 that they made their first seven-figure signing, paying £1m to Leyton Orient for Moses Odubajo.

Manchester United's move for Brentford forward Bryan Mbeumo has hit an obstacle. The Bees have increased their asking price to closer to £70m, while the Old Trafford club do not want to pay more than £65m. (Guardian), external

Newcastle United could move for Brentford's Yoane Wissa if they fail to sign Eintracht Frankfurt striker Hugo Ekitike this summer. (GiveMeSport), external

Want more transfer stories? Read Thursday's full gossip column

Follow the gossip column on BBC Sport

Tom McCoy
BBC Sport journalist

Brentford are still interested in a deal for Ipswich's Omari Hutchinson, despite having a £35m bid rejected for the winger, who could arrive as a replacement for Manchester United target Bryan Mbeumo.

The 21-year-old only managed three Premier League goals and two assists as the Tractor Boys were relegated last season, so why are the Bees prepared to pay a club record fee to bring the former Chelsea player back to west London?

Hutchinson displayed only fleeting moments of quality as Ipswich struggled last term but put himself in the shop window at this summer's European Under-21 Championship, where he was a key part of the England side that retained their title, including scoring in the final against Germany.

Deployed on the left wing - a role he has rarely played for the Suffolk club, despite being left footed - Hutchinson was a constant menace with his direct running.

He attempted 29 dribbles - at least six more than any other player, including nine in the semi-final against the Netherlands, when he repeatedly beat his opposite man.

The former and Chelsea youngster also had 35 touches in the opposition box at the tournament, second only to Germany's rising star Nick Woltemade, and created 11 chances - the joint-third highest total.

It was harder for Hutchinson to make the same kind of impact in the Premier League, with his Ipswich team often penned into their own half and struggling to get the ball to their attacking players.

Fielded either as a number 10 or on the right, he nonetheless showed a willingness to run with the ball and attempted 147 'take-ons' (trying to dribble past an opponent), which was the league's fifth-highest tally.

Last season was only Hutchinson's second in senior football. He was Ipswich's young player of the year while on loan from Chelsea in 2023-24, then joining for an initial £20m after promotion was secured.

The step up in quality was undoubtedly a challenge for him, but Brentford, who are renowned for their data-led approach to recruitment, have seen enough promise to try to prise him away from Portman Road.

• Sign up for news and data notifications about your Premier League club