Brentford’s transfer business is now slowly getting recognition by the football world with players such as James Tarkowski, Andre Grey and Jota all being a part of Brentford’s strategy of ‘signing small and selling big’. The Bees have also reportedly rejected bids for both Chris Mepham and Ryan Woods this season, so the club is indeed making a name for itself for unearthing hidden gems.
So who is going to be the next star to make a name for himself in Brentford colours? Summer signing Said Benrahma already seems a good bet to follow in the footsteps of those mentioned above after three bright performances for the Bees. The winger’s potential is for everybody to see.
A Little Background
At just 23, the Algerian international already had a promising start to his career, making his international debut when he was 20. Benrahma has spent the majority of his years so far at OGC Nice in France. He made his debut for Nice at just 18 but spent most of the following years out on loan at other lower league French clubs. His most successful loan spell came last year at LB Châteauroux in Ligue 2 where he finished the season with ten goals and five assists in 33 appearances. This performance probably prompted Brentford into snapping the winger up this summer for an undisclosed fee.
An Instant Impact In The Championship
Benrahma has come on as a substitute in Brentford’s Championship games against Rotherham and Stoke, producing promising performances against the pair and already showing off the skill and flair that he has in his locker.
This prompted Brentford head coach Dean Smith into handing Benrahma his first start in a much changed side for the Bees trip to Southend United in the EFL Cup first round. Benrahma looked a menace throughout the game and was rewarded in the 67th minute with an exquisite goal to put Brentford 3-1 up in the game, which eventually ended in a 4-2 win for the Algerian’s new side.
The New Riyad Mahrez?
This career path is obviously going to be likened to that of another Algerian star going by the name of Riyad Mahrez. The parallels in their careers are incredibly similar, both playing in Ligue 2 before joining Championship clubs. Whether this is the first step in Benrahma going on to experience the same successes as Mahrez is still to be seen, but he would undoubtedly be one to keep an eye on this season as the Bees push for promotion to the Premier League.
