Bees set for life after Maupay
BRENTFORD 0 BIRMINGHAM 1
The message from Brentford’s players is that they must move on. Not just from a disappointing opening-day defeat by Birmingham, but from the idea that star striker Neal Maupay will be part of the team for much longer. Maupay, who scored 25 goals in the Championship last season, was sorely missed in a match where Brentford hit the woodwork three times after creating 12 chances to Birmingham’s one, which was headed in by Kristian Pedersen. Maupay didn’t feature for Thomas Frank’s side in pre-season and his imminent £20million move to Brighton meant the 22-year-old was nowhere to be seen at Griffin Park on Saturday. Said Benrahma is also close to leaving for Aston Villa before the transfer deadline on Thursday. ‘We’ve got to put it behind us and move on,’ said defender Rico henry. ‘Obviously there is speculation but they weren’t with us today so we just have to move on.’ Captain Pontus Jansson is confident signings will be made to replace Maupay and Benrahma. Bryan Mbeumo of French side Troyes is a £5.4m target and the 19-year-old forward watched Saturday’s defeat before speaking with Frank. Southend midfielder Dru Yearwood is another target. ‘If you look at Brentford over the last five years, every time they lose a player someone else comes in,’ Jansson said.