Brentford

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Goalkeeper Thomas Strakosha has joined AEK Athens on a free transfer.

Strakosha, 29, joined Brentford from Lazio in 2022 and has made six appearances.

The Albania international has been named on the bench on 50 occasions for the Bees but has left to play first-team football.

Director of football Phil Giles said: "Like any good player, he will have wanted to play a lot more games. Being a substitute goalkeeper on a regular basis is arguably one of the toughest roles in football.

"We recognise this and therefore we are happy for Thomas to now leave to get back to starting games every week, which I’m sure he will do with AEK."

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Ivan Toney added to his his exemplary penalty record by converting his spot-kick for England in Saturday's Euro 2024 quarter-final against Switzerland.

The Brentford striker was the fourth player to step up to the spot and he converted his penalty without even looking at the ball.

He has only missed one of his past 31 penalties and has been highly praised for his technique that shows "great skill and arrogance".

"Toney eyeballed the goalkeeper," said former England defender Matt Upson on BBC Radio 5 Live's Football Daily at the Euros podcast. "Some penalty-takers do not even want to make eye contact with the goalkeeper, but he goes the other way in the fact he looks at them and not the ball.

"He has such technique and calmness about himself, but then has this menacing glare. It is a great skill and arrogance.

"He is letting the goalkeeper know he is in control. He has total eyes on the goalkeeper so he can tweak where he is going to hit it when he sees an empty side of the net.

"He addresses penalties with psychology being more important than technique and that is true. All the England players are capable of scoring penalties but it is how you are feeling that matters.

"It is all mind games and that is why his record is incredible."

Listen to the Football Daily at the Euros podcast on BBC Sounds

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Rico Henry says he "can't wait" to be back playing for Brentford after recovering from an ACL injury which has kept him on the sidelines since September.

The Bees defender has also set his sights on receiving his first senior international call-up, after watching the Three Lions' current left-back predicament at Euro 2024, with the aim of representing England at the 2026 World Cup.

Henry revealed his motivation to hit the ground running in an interview on Brentford's club website, external: "It would be a dream come true. I played for some of the youth teams, but getting a senior cap is one of my main goals.

"That is what everyone plays football for: to feature for your country.

"I know I had a chance before I got injured, but people reminding me that I can still do it really encourages me. I just need to come back, stay fit and play well."

On England's current Euro 2024 campaign, the 26-year-old added: "It has been difficult watching England playing without an out-and-out left-back, because I know I could do a job there.

"When I've watched them this summer, I just feel like I could fit so well into that team. It has been frustrating not being there, but it has also been great to watch."

The club also confirmed Henry will be available for the Bees' first pre-season friendly against AFC Wimbledon on Saturday, 20 July.

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Goalkeeper David Raya has said his transfer to Arsenal is a "dream come true".

The 28-year-old has signed a long-term contract with the Gunners after spending last season on loan from Brentford.

He made 41 appearances - and his 16 Premier League clean sheets earned him the Golden Glove.

Spain international Raya spent four seasons with the Bees after joining from Blackburn Rovers in 2019, helping them win promotion and then consolidate their place in the top flight.

"After a year on loan as a Gunner, I can finally say that I'm an Arsenal player for the coming years," he said.

"It's a dream come true to be here and I want to thank you for all the support you have already given me throughout the last year."

Gunners boss Mikel Arteta added: "David showed us last season what an important player he is for us. He is a big presence in our dressing room.

"We know he will take the strong foundations he put in place last season and build on them in the years to come, and that he will enjoy more success with us."

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Ivan Toney has said he used advice given to him by Brentford's sports psychologist Michael Caulfield to help with "controlling his emotions" in England's last-16 win over Slovakia at Euro 2024.

With England trailing 1-0 and on the brink of exiting the tournament, manager Gareth Southgate brought on Bees striker Toney in the fourth minute of stoppage time.

Southgate told the BBC after the match that he thought Toney was "disgusted with me for putting him on at that moment", but Jude Bellingham's stunning equaliser a few seconds later took the match to extra time, before Toney set up Harry Kane for England's winning goal.

Toney was asked at a news conference on Wednesday about how his mood had changed so quickly, to which he said that Caulfield's words had played a part.

"He's always talking about controlling your emotions," said the 28-year-old. "I feel like, in that moment, it was time to control your emotions.

"Yes I'm annoyed, but there's still 30 minutes of football to play and you've got to come out of that mood and focus. You've got to play your part and I managed to do that."

Those minutes against Slovakia were Toney's first at Euro 2024, having been an unused substitute for England's three group games. It is an unfamiliar feeling for Toney who has always been a starter for his club side when available to play.

"It's always going to be tough for all of us [not in the starting XI) because most of us play week in and week out for our clubs," he said.

"From the beginning of my career, I've gone down this route a few times of being a sub and being patient to come on. Hopefully when I get my opportunity I can take it."

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Midfielder Archie Gray was brought to London by Brentford, not Tottenham, as the Bees believed they were close to securing arguably the biggest transfer in the club's history.

Brentford technical director Lee Dykes had led the charge to pull off one of the biggest coups in recent times.

However, after failing to agree a payment structure to satisfy Leeds United, Spurs managed to change the course of the deal to sign Gray for £30m, plus the £10m Joe Rodon going the other way, to meet the £40m release clause to ensure the 18-year-old's exit.

The signing of Gray on a six-year deal in north London ends a saga which reveals a lot about where both Tottenham and Brentford are.

Spurs may often get ridiculed for failing to win trophies by fans of other big clubs, but they are widely perceived to be a great place for British talent to develop within the football ecosystem.

Meanwhile, the Bees are also highly regarded across the game. They have ambitions to push towards European qualification and are willing to spend big to do so.

However, to do that, they need to attract another level of talent - and that has proved difficult at times for Thomas Frank's side.

Arsenal have activated the option to sign 28-year-old Spain goalkeeper David Raya from Brentford on a permanent deal after a successful loan spell last season. (Mail), external

Brentford, Brighton, Everton and Southampton are interested in Millwall's 18-year-old English midfielder Josh Stephenson. (Football Insider), external

Want more transfer news? Read Tuesday's full gossip column

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Igor Thiago says joining Brentford and having the opportunity to play in the Premier League is "an immense source of happiness".

Brentford completed the club record £30m signing of the 23-year-old in February but he remained with Club Bruges for the remainder of the season.

Thiago scored 18 goals in 34 Jupiler Pro League outings last season as the Belgian club won the title.

"I'm ready to be in the Premier League because of the moves I've made in my career,” he told the club website, external.

"Everyone here can expect a lot from me as a player, as an athlete, and that I will always want to win."

Thiago joined Club Bruges in March 2022 from Bulgarian club Ludogorets, where he scored 15 goals and registered eight assists in 32 league matches.

He becomes Brentford's first Brazilian player in club history and he is excited to bring his cultural "flair" to the top flight.

"I'm very happy and very pleased to be the first Brazilian here," he added. "I think showing a little of the culture, Brazilian football and Brazilian energy within the club is going to be very important.

"They'll [the fans] get to know a little of this Brazilian flair, this Brazilian football with will, with determination and good energy.

"I always dream, because I think the most important thing in an athlete's life is to always dream."

Thiago will wear the number nine shirt, with fellow forward Kevin Schade moving to number seven.

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Brentford have hired set-piece coach Keith Andrews from Sheffield United to replace Bernardo Cueva, who begins work at Chelsea today.

Cueva left for a £750,000 compensation fee last season and will be a member of new Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca's backroom staff.

Andrews also worked on Republic of Ireland's backroom staff between 2020 and 2023.

Brentford’s director of football Phil Giles said: “Everyone at Brentford is extremely happy to see Keith join us at pre-season training for his first day today. He is someone we have known for a while and always had in mind for a role at some point in the future.

“While he has had more wide-ranging coaching roles in the past, focusing on set-pieces as a specialism is something which we think he has the qualities to do extremely well, and I’m sure that our staff can help him develop as a coach, too.

“Set-pieces are an important part of what we do well and I’m sure we’ll maintain those standards with Keith in charge.”

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Brentford's move for midfielder Archie Gray fell through because the Bees could not meet the price structure Leeds United wanted.

The deal for the 18-year-old was worth £40m and Brentford had verbally met the release clause and included an exit clause if not promoted.

He travelled for a medical on Saturday, but the bid was then rejected and it is unknown whether he completed or even started the medical.

Tottenham, as expected, were waiting in the wings and have activated the clause and met the desired structure of the deal.

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Managers will always outwardly support their players on the international stage, but you can be sure one or two will privately be hoping for an early exit from Euro 2024 for a few of their star men.

International tournament summers disrupt pre-season for managers.

Various players from different nations return to their clubs at different times, sometimes with injuries, holidays get postponed and rescheduled. As a general rule, the best players are more likely to play for the best nations and therefore go further in international tournaments.

The Euro 2024 final will take place on 14 July. Over half of Premier League clubs already have a pre-season fixture scheduled within 10 days of that.

Of English clubs, unsurprisingly, Premier League champions Manchester City have comfortably the most players in the Euro 2024 knockouts. The best represented Premier League side at the start of the competition have a full line-up of 11 stars still in Germany.

They are followed by the rest of last season's top three - Arsenal and Liverpool - who have eight and seven respectively. Manchester United also have seven while Brentford - aided by their healthy Danish contingent - have six and Crystal Palace five.

Championship play-off winners Southampton's three representatives were all eliminated at the group stage, while fellow newly promoted side Ipswich have not seen their summer impacted at all by players at Euro 2024.

Of the Championship-winning Leicester squad, goalkeeper Mads Hermansen and defenders Wout Faes and Jannik Vestergaard remain in Germany - as does Turkey's Yunus Akgun, who spent last season on loan with the Foxes.

This data was provided by Opta and counts the clubs where players finished at the end of the 2023-24 season.

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Brentford are reportedly interested in signing Leicester City's Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall.

The Bees face competition from fellow Premier League clubs Chelsea and Brighton, who are understood to be in talks with the Foxes for the midfielder.

The Blues have the advantage of being able to offer Dewsbury-Hall the chance to link up again with former Leicester boss Enzo Maresca, after the Italian became Chelsea's new head coach earlier this month.

The situation is complicated further by Dewsbury-Hall's general reluctance to leave his boyhood club.

In an interview with BBC Sport this week, Dewsbury-Hall said: "I have been here since I was a kid. I love everything about the club. I grew up and managed to play in the first team. I am happy.

"I have never said I am actively wanting to leave. That sort of stuff is not up to me. You never know with football - the season is about to start, so we will see."

The Foxes are in a poor position under the Premier League profit and sustainability rules and it is thought they need to sell the academy graduate to satisfy the regulations.

Brentford are interested in 25-year-old Leicester City midfielder Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall, who is valued at about £40m. (Mail), external

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

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We asked for your views on which Euros player would be a good fit for Brentford.

Here are a few of your suggestions:

Mark: Sign nobody from a tournament, it's an expensive showcase and Brentford's recruitment model doesn't work that way. Any signings are recruited over long-term performances, background and personality traits. So no, Brentford won't be signing anyone based on a handful of matches...

Cliff: Ferdi Kadioglu, the Turkish left-back, would be ideal as wing-back competition for Rico Henry.

Chris: Romania's Dennis Man fits the bill perfectly. Young, fast and full of potential.

Bizzy Bee: We don't sign players in the shop window, we go for lesser-known names with potential sell-on value.

Anonymous: Sesko - forward thinking, fast-paced forward, creates space and chances.

As the Euros group stage comes to a close, how's your scouting report gone?

Who has caught your eye as a perfect signing for Brentford?

And how would they fit into Thomas Frank's starting XI?

Give us your suggestions here, external

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Former Chelsea and Everton boss Frank Lampard says he has been "influenced" by watching managers like Brentford's Thomas Frank.

Lampard, 46, has been out of work since his second spell as Chelsea boss - on an interim basis - ended in 2023.

Frank has impressed during his time in charge of Brentford, securing promotion to the Premier League in 2021 and then establishing them as a top-flight side.

"I love watching what other managers are doing, the different approaches and because of my connections I've been able to go and watch certain managers work," Lampard told BBC Radio 5 Live.

"Thomas invited me to Brentford last season and I went and watched how he worked. There are lots of little things that can impress you or little nuggets that you take and think 'oh yeah, I see that'. I think coaching should be about sharing information, you should never be closing and keeping everything to yourself.

"There aren't any managers who I have ever reached out to who haven't said 'come down, no problem'. When you go down to Thomas, or Pep [Guardiola], different managers, all of them to a man have been like 'come and have a meeting, come and watch training, what do you think about that?' They have been so open and that influenced me."

Frank did not come from a traditional football background into coaching, which Lampard feels has helped the Dane.

"There is many a pathway to get into management," he added. "You should never disrespect anyone for whatever their pathway is as long as they put the work in.

"When you see someone like Thomas and how diligent he is and how well he speaks, you understand he has put thousands of hours into viewing, observing, working out his way, his approach to people.

"You don't have to be a football person to understand how people work."

Listen to the exclusive interview on BBC Sounds

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Brentford striker Ivan Toney says his "main focus" is on doing well for England and not speculation about his future.

The 28-year-old is in Germany but is yet to feature for Gareth Southgate's side at Euro 2024.

There has been a lot of speculation around the forward's future, with a number of top-flight clubs said to be interested. When Bees boss Thomas Frank was asked about Toney while working as a pundit for the BBC, he said the club have "prepared" for the striker to leave by signing Igor Thiago from Club Bruges.

When asked about his manager's comments, Toney said: "I didn't hear him say that. I can't predict the future and if I could I wouldn't be sat here in front of you guys. What will be will be and my main focus is playing well and doing well for my country."

Toney was linked with a move away from Brentford in January and he added: "I've been through it [transfer speculation] before. There's been lots of talk of me going here, there and everywhere before in my career and I just don't let outside noise get to me.

"I'm here with England now, and the main focus is doing well for England and whatever happens, happens. I can't control it.

"From 18 when I was supposed to go to Wolves and I was all excited and getting involved in all of it, then it didn't happen, it hurt me.

"So since then I thought 'why am I trying to take control of things when I don't need that pressure?' I just let people who take care of those things to do it and I focus on the pitch."