Igor Thiago has been in red-hot form for Brentford this season, and Thomas Frank is keen to sign the Brazilian - but the Bees have no intention of selling
Tottenham manager Thomas Frank has been warned to abandon his pursuit of Igor Thiago, with Brentford determined to keep hold of their prized asset.
Frank is eager to strengthen his attacking ranks and has reportedly identified Brentford forward Thiago as a prime target. The Brazilian has enjoyed a blistering start to the campaign, netting seven times in merely 11 outings across all competitions.
This form has caught Frank's attention, having previously brought Thiago to Brentford during his tenure as manager in a £30million switch from Club Brugge. Frank believes Thiago could lead his side's frontline for the foreseeable future and prove a massive hit at the north London outfit, reports the Mirror.
However, Brentford remain steadfast in their refusal to part with Thiago, making it abundantly clear to all suitors that the 24-year-old is not available.Thiago arrived at Brentford during the summer of 2024 as Ivan Toney's replacement, following the latter's departure to the Saudi Pro League. Yet he featured in only eight matches last term due to a severe knee injury.
Aston Villa and Newcastle have also monitored Thiago's progress, though Brentford boss Keith Andrews was emphatic that no departure would be permitted. "I've said over the past few weeks, I was really happy when the last transfer window closed," he declared ahead of the Bees' clash with Crystal Palace on Saturday.
"We're not even in November, so I'm not going to talk about a transfer window that is two months away, that will inevitably come closer to the time. Thiago is going absolutely nowhere, absolutely nowhere, he's a pivotal part of this football club, he doesn't want to go anywhere, that won't be happening."
Thiago has been shortlisted for the Premier League Player of the Month for October, and Andrews was questioned on whether he could emulate Bryan Mbeumo's feat of netting 20 league goals this season. "I think he wants more, that's what I'm hearing!" he responded. "He's clearly in a very good place, great rhythm in his game, playing with confidence, enjoying life. He's been a critical part of what we've done. It's nice to hear that he's been nominated, because he deserves it."
Andrews added: "He's already shown he can be a top performer in the Premier League. He gives the opposition a headache, the way he plays the game. I'm not sure many players will relish playing against him.
"He's very demanding of himself. Some players you have to push and some players you have to rein in - he's definitely the latter. He's in a great place and we want to keep him there. He's very, very determined to achieve things; as a team, first and foremost, but, by doing that, he will also achieve things as an individual.
"It's the selfless way he approaches games, you see how hard he works for the team, and then, from that, his goals, different types of goals. He's really settled into a groove and his team-mates are loving playing with him.
"It's just been about getting him into that rhythm and building those relationships, which I constantly speak about. We've been seeing that a lot more often in recent weeks."