The transfer window of summer 2022 is shaping up to be one of the busiest in recent years with a flurry of new signings in the past couple of weeks boosting the ranks ahead of a second Premier League campaign. Ben Mee, the former Burnley captain, is the latest to be welcomed to Brentford, and is another significant capture as the club look to provide the strength in depth that was called into question at times last season.
There is certainly no reluctance to spend big to underpin the Bees’ top flight credentials – winger Keane Lewis-Potter is thought to have cost an initial fee of £16m, rising to around £20m, wing-back Aaron Hickey’s arrival from Bologna is thought to have set us back around £14m, and although goalie Thomas Strakosha and Ben Mee were free transfers between their former clubs, Lazio and Burnley respectively, there will have been significant signing on bonuses paid to the players, as well as big-wage contracts on offer – all four are landmark signings for Brentford.
Prior to this summer, Bees fans will look back to the summer of 2019 as the most significant in the club’s post war history, a period when the directors of football brought in the quality that transformed the squad into genuine Premier League calibre. Christian Norgaard, Ethan Pinnock, Pontus Jansson, Mathias Jensen, Bryan Mbeumo and David Raya were central to Brentford’s metamorphosis, and so far, the summer of 2022 is shaping up to be another stand-out window.
Much of the early part of the closed season, from the outside at least, seemed to be focussed on whether Christian Eriksen would re-sign for the club, however, there were clearly irons in fires elsewhere – it also appears the gaps in cover or squad weaknesses have been addressed. A new right-back (Dalsgaard’s replacement), a left winger (Benrahma’s replacement) and experienced cover for David Raya (Fernandes just didn’t cut the mustard) and at centre-back seemed must-haves… Yehor Yamoliuk’s arrival from SC Dnipro may be a B team signing, however, we believe integration into the first team squad is a shorter term objective.
So, with just over two weeks to go until Brentford’s 2022/23 season curtain raiser, away at Leicester City, have the club finished in the market? Much of that depends on whether we lose any of our important, existing players, however, apart from a couple of half-arsed click-bait stories involving Ivan Toney, which we have all become used to, and a few rumours about David Raya’s long-term ambitions, it seems a steady ship for the time-being at least.
Until Ukraine international midfielder, Mykhaylo Mudryk, decides where he wants to play his football next season his name will remain linked with Brentford, and with Halil Dervişoğlu back in the camp after another loan spell in Turkey, he feels like another new signing and provides an exciting option if called upon. But we seem to have options now and quality cover all over the park, which feels very reassuring.
Are you happy with the squad as we face our second Premier League season? Please share your thoughts in the comment box below.
Dave Lane
I think you’ve hit the nail on the head on all points Dave.
From a personal point of view, I was very worried when Rasmus left because I thought he was the go-getter. How wrong could I be !! Phil Giles has done a fantastic job and needs congratulating by all us Bees.
A Burnley fan. Gutted to see him leave us. You’ve signed a brilliant defender who should have been before Keane and Tarkowski in the England setup. Good luck this season!
It’s a great window so far. But it has thrown up a question in my head of seeing how those signings (and any others before the window closes) will be used by TF. It will be interesting to see the stating XI when/if everyone is fit and if there is a clear first choice for each position or we try mix things up with a bit of rotation depending on the opposition. Interesting times.