Brentford’s European mission – defying the odds with the brilliant Brazilian

Brentford’s decision not to sign another striker was partly down to circumstances, with a deal for Wessa not being completed until the deadline.

But they also knew they had a £30m striker already waiting to go.

Igor Thiago joined from Club Brugge in July 2024 for a then-club record fee, but was plagued by injury in his first season, going scoreless in eight matches.

The 24-year-old has continued to make up for lost time this season, as his brace against Sunderland took him to 16 league goals – the most goals scored by a Brazilian in a single Premier League season.

Considering his compatriots who came before him, this is an achievement, especially with 17 games remaining.

“He was a breath of fresh air,” former Liverpool midfielder Danny Murphy told the BBC.

“He’s physically scary, fast, strong, but he’s technically better than people think. Good with his feet, with both feet, he can score with both. You can see he’s full of confidence.

“Those numbers are amazing. He must be very proud. This is a huge compliment to him.”

The fact that only Erling Haaland, Harry Kane and Kylian Mbappe have scored more in any of Europe’s top five leagues to this point shows the level he is playing at.

It was not just the quantity of goals that was so important for Brentford, but their timing.

His first goal against the Black Cats was his seventh of the season. Given how often we are told how important the first goal in a match is, having someone you can count on to grab that first big chance cannot be underestimated.

Before the match against Sunderland, no player who had attempted at least 30 shots this season had better shot accuracy than Igor Thiago’s 59.1% shot accuracy.

Hits the target. Do it often and the goals will come.

Given the struggles he faced earlier in life, working in construction to support his family after the death of his father, it should perhaps come as no surprise that the pressure on the pitch is something he is taking in his stride.

“The recruitment team deserve a lot of credit for the quality of players they bring in and their character,” Andrews told Match of the Day.

“It’s really impressive. He’s a really special person and he’s adapted to life very well. He had to go down this path. He’s earned his journey and his vaccinations.”

“He has a serious determination about his personality. He is constantly developing his skill set and we are learning more and more about him. He is a very complete centre-forward.”