Super Eagles midfielder Frank Onyeka wants to establish himself as a vital player for Brentford next season despite being linked with a potential departure from the Premier League club this summer, Footynaija.com reports.
When Onyeka first arrived at Brentford in the summer of 2021, hopes were high that the Nigerian midfielder would bring energy and steel to the Bees’ engine room. Fast forward to the present and the 27-year-old’s journey in West London has been anything but smooth.
Onyeka struggled to establish himself under Thomas Frank, often finding game time hard to come by at the Gtech Community Stadium. In his first three seasons, he remained on the fringes, rarely stringing together consistent starts. The lack of opportunities ultimately saw him shipped out on loan to Bundesliga side FC Augsburg for the 24/25 campaign—a move that turned out to be a career lifeline.
At Augsburg, the Nigeria international rediscovered his rhythm. He enjoyed a strong run of form, starting 33 out of his 34 appearances in all competitions. Regular minutes allowed him to consistently display his qualities as a dynamic box-to-box midfielder and his performances drew praise from both fans and pundits in Germany.
Yet, as the loan spell came to an end, there were strong indications that Brentford might look to part ways permanently. Reports suggested that Thomas Frank had deemed Onyeka surplus to requirements and the midfielder’s future with The Bees looked uncertain.
Big changes at Brentford, Frank Onyeka’s time to shine?
A lot has changed at Brentford in recent weeks though. Thomas Frank has departed for London rivals Tottenham Hotspur, while the Bees’ midfield lynchpin Christian Norgaard was snapped up by another London rival Arsenal.
Norgaard’s exit has created a vacuum in the middle of the park, and with Keith Andrews now at the helm as Brentford’s new head coach, the door may just have swung open for Onyeka to make his mark.
“For me, going to next season is just to help my team because I was on loan last season in Germany,” the midfielder recently said about his plans for the future on The Culture League podcast.
“I’m going back to Brentford. New coach, for me, it’s going to impress the coach, start pre-season, going to the new season, and help the team as much as possible.
“Last season was successful because all I wanted was to play regularly, from the start — which I did. Thankfully, the team was happy with my performance. So now I am back at Brentford and happy to be back.”
With a new manager, fresh ideas and a reshuffled midfield, Onyeka may never get a better chance to stake his claim at the Gtech Community Stadium. The Super Eagles star has the tools—energy, ball-winning ability and defensive discipline—to thrive in the Premier League if given the trust and freedom to play.
After years of waiting in the wings, the big question is; can Frank Onyeka finally shine at Brentford?