Is Jake Bidwell leaving Brentford for QPR? Another two days of rumours going into overdrive suggest July 1st could see a move go through. Is there any substance to them? Who knows? For me, its all about the door swinging the other way and the latest issue of ‘The Buzz’ newsletter. Specifically, the feature on Josh McEachran where the fact his picture was one sporting a Chelsea shirt wasn’t the main talking point from the article.
“Perhaps they got confused with our away kit” noted one New Road observer in an attempt to explain why Josh wasn’t photographed in red and white stripes. Whatever the reason, ‘The Buzz’ continues to excite when it hits the inbox. And no more so this time around from the throwaway line at the end of the article…..
Does this mean we can expect transfer news today? Will it be one of the hotly tipped trio of John Egan (Gillingham), Daniel Bentley (Southend United) or Romaine Sawyers (Walsall) ? Could we even be living in dreamland and harbouring secret hopes of a return from Liverpool for Sergi Canos?
With the fee for Canos being reported as £2.5m, surely that has to be way beyond our wildest dreams. It would need more than selling Jake Bidwell to cover that one. Chuck in Alan Judge, David Button and Harlee Dean before the numbers even started to crunch.
Then again, all I can do is speculate. The closest I get to being a source ‘close to the club’ is walking my son to nursery past Griffin Park each morning. However, probability suggests that any available expenditure will be spread out over a number of players rather than most of the eggs being chucked in one basket.
If there is to be disappointment about Jake to QPR, or anywhere else, hopefully the blow will be softened by this implication of inward news. Interestingly, Wikipedia had Romaine down as a Brentford player on Thursday evening although, equally, we all know that is hardly a reliable means of confirming anything ahead of the facts. Had somebody been a bit premature on the updates or is it simply a terrace wag indulging in a spot of high jinks?
Last season saw a lot of people upset about the huge turnover to a squad which almost reached the Premier League. Understandably so – football is an emotive game and these players had got us to where we finished on merit. Moreso when the new recruits took their time to bed in (much like that pitch). Again, understandably so, although it would be fair to say that some of them are now absolutely nailed on starters. Likewise, don’t forget the FFP related reasons that necessitated those sales.
Besides, nobody could deny we finished in some style. Ninth place, and clear of both QPR and Fulham, was a stunning denouement to the campaign. Moreso with that wonderful return from injury for Scott Hogan. Has that late run masked early / mid season ‘challenges’ or will we pick up where we left off? Either way, expect a further changed squad with that restructure seemingly set to start.
Is Jake Bidwell going? Is Romaine Sawyers coming ? Or, after May’s somewhat random suggestion about Josh going back to Chelsea (which Dean Smith dismissed saying “I have heard nothing at all about this. Is that to help him with his treatment?“) could the biggest transfer clue be right under our noses…..
IS Josh going back to Chelsea? No.
Nick Bruzon
BrentfordFC 
Should be a busy Bees news day hopefully, been a while but life at GP is rarely dull so strap in and hold tight – here we go. It seems that Jake is off, i’m sad that it has to be to QPR but am happy to wish him well and thank him for his good service to our club. He has been solid, dependable and never let us down. It does allow us to re-look at his position and the captaincy, replace him well and appoint a proper leader as captain and I think we can all deal with his departure. QPR have signed Lynch already, now Jake – decent players but not going to be a squad that we need to look at in awe or fear. As for the fee – well with the contract running down maybe we’ll get enough in to finance a couple of the incoming players. Bear in mind that Dembele leaves Fulham for £500K, contract management is important and we seem to handle this pretty well.
As for the Euros and the post referendum debate, a reminder that 100 years ago today thousands of young Tommies and others perished in French fields. There are more important things than Boris, Jeremy and Roy Hodgson. Hope our nation can come together in remembering all of our relatives who gave so much for this country – regardless of the politics of it all.
Well we already know that Dominic Kurasik Australian/Polish keeper from Stoke has signed, as his lightning reflexes hit the ‘tweet’ button before the media team were aware.
I truly hope Romaine signs. Easily one of the best performances at GP last season. Egan is an interesting one. Making him 1 of 5 first team centre halves in the squad. Will someone be leaving? Probably not Harlee or Yoann as they were thrust onto the breakfast eating viewing public going through exercises in their pants on Sky Sports News yesterday (clearly forgot their kit). Im sure Bjelland isnt going anywhere, so maybe Jack O’Connell? Or is Dean thinking of a back 3?
It will be a huge shame to lose our captain, but with the money on offer and last year of his contract, it does kind of make sense, particularly with Tom Field so impressive against Fulham as a potential replacement. Maybe we even go back to Walsall and enquire about Rico Henry. All in all im quite excited about how things are shaping up.
By the way you would have thought the media team would have found at least 1 pic of Josh McEachran in a Brentford shirt. It really is about time the quality in the media team reflects the ambition of the club.
So Brentford have voted for Romaine then, some may say a week too late. Welcome to our beautiful club son.
And beautifully said
Well….if Jota were to be sold, then that would give us the opportunity to sign Canos. Whilst I would be gutted to say goodbye to our Spanish Maestro, I don’t really see him playing for us again (hope I’m wrong), and perhaps we could at least swap him with another mercurial young Spanish lad. And he’d be available now, and not, at best, in a years time.
Rob. I’m with you. I’d love for Jota to play for Brentford again but I can’t ever imagine it happening . Not in a million years. Prove me wrong, please. Sadly though, our brief love affair seems over (metaphorically speaking, for the record).
That said, if it could somehow open a door for Sergi…
Good signings today…v pleased, but I also think by getting Bently Butts might well be on his way too…. That said…£1.3 for Jake…at least £2 for Butts…could Serg actually join us!? Pure speculation on my part 😉
managers and players come and go,as long as replacements are better or at least the same quality then I will be happy. ive been supporter for 56 years since I was 7(seven) the brackets are homage to you and your articles. although during my support I have seen many decent players and watched great football these past few seasons have been fantastic,wouldnt be Brentford without a few blips though.
Thanks Martin. Very well said
May I offer #jakethesnake as more fitting….
Oh & well done Wales – incredible tonight & if we’d done that we’d be thinking we’d won the thing, maybe you can….