Our prediction: 15th
Expected finish: 11th–16th
Transfer window rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐☆☆☆ (7/10)
Biggest question
Can Brentford build on an excellent first season under Keith Andrews rather than slipping back towards the lower reaches of the table?
Why we have Brentford in 15th
Brentford are becoming increasingly difficult to predict. Keith Andrews exceeded expectations spectacularly in his first season as head coach, guiding the Bees to ninth place in 2025/26 and taking them to within touching distance of European football. It was another reminder of just how effectively Brentford continue to operate despite competing against clubs with considerably greater financial resources.
The important thing this summer is that Andrews remains in charge. There is no managerial reset, no new tactical philosophy for the players to learn and no need to rebuild the foundations of a team that performed extremely well last season.
The recruitment has also been characteristically interesting. Brentford have added Jannik Schuster, Jaidon Anthony, Callum Wilson and Mamadou Sangaré, giving Andrews additional options in several important areas.
Anthony is perhaps the most immediately convincing addition. He scored eight Premier League goals for relegated Burnley last season and should give Brentford another direct attacking threat. Callum Wilson, meanwhile, is an intriguing free transfer. At his best he remains an excellent Premier League striker, although his availability will inevitably determine how valuable that signing becomes.
Schuster represents a more traditional Brentford investment: a young centre-back recruited with considerable development potential. Sangaré adds further competition and versatility in midfield.
There is therefore plenty to like. So why only 15th? Partly because last season’s ninth-place finish set an extremely high benchmark. Brentford were only one point away from European qualification, and reproducing that level is a considerable challenge. We also expect the middle section of this season’s Premier League to be exceptionally congested. There may ultimately be very little separating ninth from 15th.
Key transfers
In: Jannik Schuster, Jaidon Anthony, Callum Wilson, Mamadou Sangaré.
Schuster arrives as a highly rated teenage defender after gaining considerable senior experience in Austrian football. He may not immediately become an automatic starter, but the signing fits Brentford’s established model of identifying players before their market value explodes.
Anthony should be capable of making a much more immediate impact. Eight goals in a struggling Burnley side last season was a respectable return, and his pace and direct running should suit Brentford particularly well. He gives Andrews another player capable of carrying the ball quickly into dangerous areas rather than requiring prolonged possession to create chances.
Wilson provides something different again. There is obviously a question surrounding how many games he can play, but Brentford do not necessarily need him to start every week. If his minutes are managed carefully, his movement and finishing could be extremely useful in tight matches.
Sangaré may prove to be another shrewd addition. His ability to operate in different midfield roles gives Andrews more flexibility and strengthens an area where injuries can quickly create problems over the course of a Premier League season.
Strengths
Brentford’s greatest strength remains that they know exactly what they are. Recruitment is generally tailored to a specific tactical purpose rather than simply acquiring recognisable names, and new players tend to arrive knowing exactly what will be expected of them. There is a clear structure throughout the club, and that has allowed Brentford to repeatedly replace important players without suffering the kind of collapse many predicted.
Andrews deserves significant credit too. There were understandable questions when he took charge, but ninth place answered most of them. There is now continuity both tactically and within the coaching structure, something that should help Brentford avoid the uncertainty that often follows an unexpectedly successful season.
They remain dangerous going forward as well. Igor Thiago provides a physical focal point, Dango Ouattara offers pace and unpredictability, while Anthony and Wilson give Andrews additional ways of changing matches.
Their 7-0 pre-season victory over Eintracht Frankfurt was another indication of the attacking threat within the squad. Pre-season results should never be overanalysed, but scoring seven against strong opposition certainly does nothing to reduce expectations around Brentford’s attacking potential.
AdvertisementWeaknesses
The defence remains the obvious concern. Brentford conceded 52 Premier League goals last season, actually one more than 16th-placed Nottingham Forest. For a side that finished ninth, that is a fairly clear indication of where improvement is required.
Left-back has been a particular issue. Rico Henry, Keane Lewis-Potter and Aaron Hickey were all used there last season without Andrews ever appearing completely settled on one first-choice option. Brentford can compensate through their structure, but against the Premier League’s better attacking sides that uncertainty can be exposed.
There are some early injury concerns as well. Sepp van den Berg is sidelined with a groin problem and is expected to miss the opening weeks, while Antoni Milambo continues his recovery from an ACL injury.
Neither problem should define Brentford’s season, but they reduce the depth available to Andrews at precisely the point when he would like to establish some early momentum.
The other question is whether Brentford can reproduce the efficiency that carried them so high last season. Teams that unexpectedly finish near the European positions often discover that opponents approach them differently the following year. Brentford will increasingly be treated as an established top-half threat rather than an underdog, and that brings a different challenge.
Key player
Igor Thiago
Thiago gives Brentford the physical reference point around which much of their attacking game can operate. His ability to occupy centre-backs, compete aerially and provide a presence inside the penalty area creates space for the quicker players around him. With Anthony, Ouattara and others attacking from wider positions, his role becomes even more important.
He does not simply need to score goals. His hold-up play and physical presence allow Brentford to vary their approach, particularly when opponents press high and Andrews wants his team to bypass midfield.
If Thiago provides a consistent supply of goals as well, Brentford should have little reason to worry about the relegation battle.
Player to watch
Jaidon Anthony
We like this signing a lot. Anthony already knows the league, enters the season at 26 rather than as an unproven prospect and demonstrated last year that he can produce goals even for a struggling team.
Eight Premier League goals for Burnley suggests there could be another level available to him in a more stable attacking environment. Brentford should also suit his qualities. They attack quickly, create opportunities in transition and are comfortable allowing wide players to be aggressive when possession changes hands.
Brentford have an excellent record of identifying attacking players whose value and output subsequently increase. Anthony looks like another candidate.
What they still need
A specialist left-back remains the most obvious addition before the transfer window closes. Brentford could also benefit from another defender, particularly while Van den Berg is unavailable. There is no need for major surgery, though. This is much more about addressing one or two specific weaknesses and ensuring Andrews has enough depth to cope with injuries without substantially weakening his starting XI.
If they can strengthen the left side of the defence before the deadline, it would turn what has already been a sensible transfer window into a very good one.
Verdict
Predicting Brentford 15th should not be interpreted as expecting a bad season. Quite the opposite. We expect them to remain comfortably competitive, and it would surprise nobody if they finished in the top half again. Andrews has already demonstrated his ability as a Premier League head coach, the recruitment remains intelligent and the attacking options look strong.
The issue is the strength of the competition around them. Last season’s ninth place was an outstanding achievement, and maintaining that standard is difficult for a club operating with Brentford’s resources. The defence still gives us some concern, the squad has a couple of injury issues and several of the clubs that finished around or below them have strengthened.
We therefore expect Brentford to spend very little time in genuine relegation danger. They should once again be difficult to beat, particularly at home, and they have enough attacking quality to punish teams that underestimate them.
But in what we expect to be an extremely tight middle section of the Premier League, we think a few more points will slip away this time.
Our prediction: 15th.