Keith Andrews Hints Brentford's Transfer Business Could Be Done

Keith Andrews has suggested that Brentford may not have to go back to the market before the transfer window closes, saying that the present level of squad depth is the best he has seen at the club.

For Andrews, it’s a stark contrast to the situation he faced after taking charge last summer. He inherited a squad that had again been through considerable change, yet Brentford still recovered to finish ninth and remain in the European race until the final day.

Twelve months on, the Bees face a very different picture. Brentford have kept the core of that side together, lost very little in key first-team players, and added to the squad rather than spending another summer replacing major departures.

The Bees kicked off their Premier League season in style as they breezed past Tottenham Hotspur 3-0 at the Gtech Community Stadium. It gave Andrews an early opportunity to test out some of his summer signings.

During Andrews’ post-match press conference, when pressed on whether Brentford might do more business before the window closes, the Bees manager made it clear he’d be happy to go into the rest of the season with the group he has now.

“I’d have to say I’m very content with the squad,” Andrews said.

“I think the squad depth right now is as good as it’s been. You see the types of subs that we’ve brought on today, the energy and the quality that brings onto the pitch.

“The starting line-up will obviously change as the season goes on, so that depth is important. If the window closed tomorrow, I’ll be pretty happy.”

Andrews hasn’t gone as far as to say Brentford’s transfer business is done, but it appears there’s no sense of urgency from the head coach to bring in anyone else, but instead to continue developing the squad he has in front of him.

Brentford have bolstered their squad in several key areas this summer.

Jannik Schuster, Jaidon Anthony and Callum Wilson all joined before Brentford broke their transfer record to land Mamadou Sangaré from Lens at the start of August. The midfielder was the fourth new arrival for the first team this window.

Sangaré was thrown straight into the starting line-up against Tottenham and wasted no time making an impression. For Andrews, it was a sign that Brentford have finally added the depth they needed in midfield.

The strength in depth was clear elsewhere too, with Andrews able to make changes during the game without losing momentum.

Instead of turning to the bench just to protect a lead, Brentford could bring on players who kept the tempo high. It’s something Andrews highlighted when talking about the squad’s progress.

Andrews’ comments also underline just how different this summer has felt compared to his first pre-season at the club.

“There’s a real trust about how we work, what we built last year obviously and what we’ve added into the mix with the players I’ve just mentioned,” Andrews said.

“We can look to grow, we look to develop. So certainly from where we started when we came back, whatever date it was, end of June, July to now, we’ve took decent strides within that period, but we want to take more.”

Andrews didn’t go as far as to say that Brentford’s transfer business over, but the messaged seemed clear that he was content with the squad he has currently.

Schuster has bolstered the defence, Wilson brings experience up front, Anthony adds another layer to the attack, and Sangaré gives the midfield extra strength.

That sense of satisfaction isn’t just about the new arrivals. Just as significant is what Brentford have managed to hold onto this summer. After finishing ninth last season and pushing for Europe until the final day, the club have kept the core of that side together, avoiding the fate of previous seasons where the Bees' top talent had been poached.

That stability has given Andrews the chance to build on what was already working, rather than spending another summer scrambling to replace key first-team players before he could even think about strengthening the squad.

The early signs were there against Tottenham. Brentford won comfortably, and Andrews was able to rotate his side without any dip in performance.

His comment that he would be happy if the window closed tomorrow therefore feels less like a negotiating line and more like a reflection of where Brentford believe the squad is now.

Another opportunity could still emerge before the deadline, but Andrews does not appear to be waiting for one. After a summer spent adding quality while keeping hold of the players he already trusted, he appears content with what Brentford have.