Brentford chief explains Onyeka’s exit

Brentford’s director of football, Phil Giles, has shed light on the circumstances surrounding Frank Onyeka’s loan move to German Bundesliga side FC Augsburg, PUNCH Sports Extra reports.

The Bees were busy, adding new players and also selling several during the summer transfer window, with several youngsters securing loan moves to other clubs to get them regular game time. Those players include Nigeria midfielder Onyeka, whom Giles spoke about.

Giles revealed that the decision to allow the Super Eagles midfielder to leave was primarily driven by Onyeka’s desire for more regular starting opportunities.

“Frank is a different case (from other exits). He’s played a lot of minutes for us—he was on the pitch 26 times last season—so letting him go is a little bit of a risk without an obvious replacement,” Giles said.

“But I’m very confident that we have the players to step in and take those minutes, and it’s important for them and their development.”

The Nigeria international had made 78 competitive appearances for the Bees since joining from Midtjylland in the summer of 2021. However, his playing time had become limited, with only 13 starts in 28 matches last season.

Brentford’s head coach, Thomas Frank, had earlier echoed Giles’ sentiments, saying, “Frank wants to play week in, week out as a starter; this is a good opportunity for him to do that. He has been a big part of our success, and I can’t praise him enough for that in every aspect.”

The loan move to Augsburg does not include an option to buy, with Onyeka still having three years remaining on his Brentford contract, plus an option for the club to extend by a further year.

Giles acknowledged the risk in letting Onyeka depart without an immediate replacement but expressed confidence in the squad’s ability to cover his absence. The decision reflects Brentford’s commitment to player development and satisfaction, even at the potential cost of squad depth.

Onyeka’s exit comes amidst a busy transfer window for Brentford, which saw several new additions, including Igor Thiago, Fábio Carvalho, and Sepp van den Berg, as well as the high-profile departure of striker Ivan Toney to Saudi Arabian club Al-Ahli.

As Brentford navigate the 2024/25 Premier League campaign with a leaner squad, the club’s management remains optimistic about their prospects, having won two of their first three games.