Brentford owner reveals how club missed out on Olise, Eze and Mudryk deals

Brentford owner Matthew Benham has revealed how the club came remarkably close to signing several players who later became some of Europe’s most recognisable attacking talents.

Speaking at the MIT Sloan Sports Analytics Conference in Boston, Benham explained that Brentford’s recruitment team had identified Michael Olise, Eberechi Eze, Omar Marmoush and Mykhailo Mudryk before their major transfers elsewhere. However, a combination of agent fees and complex negotiations ultimately prevented those deals from being completed.

The admissions offer a rare look behind the scenes at how Brentford’s recruitment model operates and how narrow the margins can be when smaller clubs attempt to secure emerging stars.

Olise was not the only talent Brentford believed they could sign before their value soared.

Benham revealed the club had also tracked Eberechi Eze during his time at Queens Park Rangers. According to the Brentford owner, the club could have signed the attacking midfielder for around £4 million back in 2019.

Eze has since developed into a major Premier League attacking presence and completed a £67.5 million move to Arsenal last summer.

The club also considered Omar Marmoush before the forward later joined Eintracht Frankfurt after leaving Wolfsburg in 2023. Marmoush has since progressed further, eventually moving to Manchester City.

Benham noted the remarkably low combined cost Brentford had identified at the time. “We could have signed Eze for £4m I think in 2019. We could also have signed Marmoush on a free about three years ago.”

Another player Brentford pursued seriously was Ukrainian winger Mykhailo Mudryk.

Before his eventual high-profile move to Chelsea, Brentford made two bids to Shakhtar Donetsk in January 2022 believed to be worth around £12 million and £15 million.

The deal never materialised, although Benham suggested Brentford were closer than many realised.

“One was Mudryk which was maybe a bit complicated if we signed, although we were quite close to signing him for a low fee, for about €20m.”

Mudryk later moved for a reported €80 million fee. The winger has not played since November 2024 while serving a suspension following a doping case.

Benham’s comments highlight the financial challenges faced by clubs operating outside the traditional elite when competing for emerging talent.

Brentford’s data-driven recruitment model has earned widespread recognition in recent years, helping the club establish itself as a stable Premier League side since promotion in 2021.

However, Benham acknowledged that even the most effective scouting systems will occasionally miss opportunities.

“There’s always going to be ones you regret.”

• Brentford nearly signed Michael Olise before his rise to European stardom.
• The deal collapsed due to extremely high agent fees.
• Eberechi Eze could have joined Brentford for around £4m in 2019.
• Omar Marmoush was also identified early and could have arrived on a free transfer.
• Brentford submitted bids for Mykhailo Mudryk before his eventual €80m move.

Brentford continue to rely heavily on their analytics-driven scouting strategy as they search for emerging players before their market value explodes. The club’s recruitment model has already helped identify several successful signings since their promotion to the Premier League.

With competition for young talent increasing across Europe, Brentford’s ability to act early in the market may remain a crucial factor in maintaining their competitiveness in the coming seasons.

Which of these missed signings would have changed Brentford’s trajectory the most?