Brentford is an English football club based in Middlesex that has featured in all four of English football’s top divisions throughout its diverse history in the English game.
The Bees have built a reputation for their excellent recruitment in recent years, something that has brought them relative success. Here are Brentford’s top ten most expensive signings in their history:
Keane Lewis-Potter (Bought from Hull City for a fee of a reported fee of around £18m)
The England under-21 started his career at Hull City. The attacking midfielder won numerous awards in his short stint with the Tigers. His performances were so impressive for Humberside club that Brentford decided to pay an undisclosed fee of around £18m to sign Lewis-Potter in the summer of 2022.
The youngster is still in the nascent period of his career at Brentford. However, he has big potential, and he could be a star of the future.
Aaron Hickey (Bought from Bologna for a fee of £15M)
The Scottish international started his career with Hearts before moving to Celtic and returning to the capital club, where he made his name. However, Brentford signed Hickey in the summer of 2022 after the versatile full-back had enjoyed a short stint at Italian club Bologna.
Kristoffer Ajer (Bought from Celtic for an undisclosed fee reported to be around £15m)
The Norwegian international centre-back first appeared on most football fans’ radar during an impressive five-year spell with Scottish Giants Celtic, with whom he made 176 appearances in all competitions.
Despite reported competition for his services, Brentford snapped up the defender in the summer of 2021 for a fee of around £15m after winning promotion to the English top flight.
Mikkel Damsgaard (Bought from Sampdoria for a fee of around £14.5m)
The highly-rated Danish winger kicked off his career in his homeland with Nordsjaelland before a switch to Sampdoria, where he spent two seasons.
However, it was during Euro 2020 that Damsgaard’s profile was raised, as he produced a string of impressive displays during the tournament for his national team. His performances unsurprisingly caught the attention of a plethora of clubs. Brentford snapped Damsgaard up in the summer of 2022 for a fee reported fee of £14.5m.
Yoane Wissa (Bought from Lorient for a fee of around £8.5m)
The versatile attacker caught the eye in the French game during three years at Lorient. His eye for goal and energetic performances were enough for Brentford to sign him for a fee reported to be around £8.5m in August 2021.
Wissa went on to establish himself in the Bees’ team in the Premier League, often scoring crucial goals in their early years in the English top flight.
Frank Onyeka (Bought from FC Midtjylland for an undisclosed fee of around £8.5m)
The Nigerian international midfielder moved from his home country to Danish outfit Midtjylland in 2016 and rose through the ranks at the club, eventually making over a century of appearances in all competitions.
Onyeka became one of Brentford’s first signings ahead of their debut campaign in the Premier League in 2021. He reportedly cost the club around £8.5m, although his fee was undisclosed.
Ollie Watkins (Bought from Exeter City for a fee reported to be around £6.5m)
The forward started his professional career at Exeter City and was relatively prolific for the Devon outfit. His goalscoring abilities were recognised by Brentford, who reportedly paid a fee of around £6.5m to sign the forward.
Watkins proved to be a bargain for the Bees, as he scored 49 goals in 149 appearances in all competitions. In the summer of 2020, Brentford sold Watkins to Aston Villa for an initial fee of around £28m, which could rise to £33m with add-ons. The forward has since become an England international.
Bryan Mbeumo (Bought from Troyes for a fee of around £5.8m)
The French-born Cameroon international started his career with Troyes before switching to Brentford in the summer of 2019 for a then club-record fee of £5.8m.
The versatile former France under-21 became a key player and played a crucial role in helping the Bees to promotion in 2021. He has made over 150 appearances for Brentford in all competitions.
Pontus Jansson (Bought from Leeds United for an undisclosed fee reported to be £5m)
The Swedish centre-back started his career in his homeland with Malmo before stints with Torino and Leeds United. It was his performances for the latter that saw Brentford decide to splash out a reported £5m to secure his services.
Jansson has made over a century of appearances for the Bees and was a key member of their team in the club’s early years in the Premier League.
Ivan Toney (Bought from Peterborough for a fee of £5m, potentially rising to £10m with add-ons)
The forward kicked off his professional career with Northampton before a big switch to Newcastle. As a young player at the time of the move, he struggled for first-team football in the north east, so he enjoyed loan spells at the likes of Barnsley, Shrewsbury, Scunthorpe and Wigan.
Toney’s career really took off with a permanent switch to Peterborough in 2018, where he scored an impressive 49 goals in 94 appearances. Brentford signed the forward in the summer of 2020 for a fee that could rise to £10m.
Toney played a crucial role in Brentford’s promotion to the top flight in 2021, scoring 31 goals in their promotion-winning campaign. He has also played a significant role in the Bees’ first seasons in the Premier League, establishing himself as one of the most dangerous English forwards in the top flight. In 2022, Toney received his first call-up to the England national team.