Brentford Move to the Front of the Queue for Burnley's Jaidon Anthony

Brentford have opened talks with Burnley to sign winger Jaidon Anthony permanently, and they have moved clear of rival Premier League suitors in the race for the 26-year-old.

Burnley want around £20m for the Englishman, a figure that would more than double the £8m they paid for him just last summer. The deal appeals to Anthony, a London native and former Arsenal academy player, while new Bees coach Keith Andrews rates him as an ideal stylistic fit.

Brentford lead the race for relegated Anthony

Anthony is exploring his options after relegation to the Championship with Burnley, and he wants to stay in the Premier League. Several top-flight clubs have registered interest, but Brentford are now the frontrunners.

A homecoming with footballing logic attached

The pull factors are clear. Anthony is from London and began his career in Arsenal's academy, so a return to the capital carries obvious appeal. Andrews, meanwhile, sees him as a natural fit for the way he wants Brentford to attack.

Anthony's numbers last season explain the interest:

• Nine goals and four assists in 38 appearances across all competitions for Burnley.
• 17 goals and 11 assists in 81 games across two seasons at Turf Moor.

Those are respectable returns for a wide forward, and crucially they came in a struggling side. The question is whether they justify the price tag Burnley have attached.

Part of a broader rebuild

This would not be Brentford's first move of the window. They have already signed defender Jannik Schuster from RB Salzburg in a deal worth up to £16m including add-ons.

The Bees are reshaping their squad after finishing ninth last season, missing out on European qualification on goal difference on the final day. Anthony would represent a clear statement of attacking intent.

The £20m question: is Burnley's asking price justified?

Here is the arbitrage at the heart of this deal. Burnley triggered an £8m obligation-to-buy clause to make Anthony's loan from Bournemouth permanent last summer following promotion. Twelve months on, despite relegation, they want around £20m.

More than doubling their money after going down

That is an ambitious mark-up for a player whose nine goals could not keep Burnley in the division. Relegation usually weakens a selling club's hand, yet Burnley are pricing Anthony as a Premier League-calibre asset rather than a Championship one.

The logic from Burnley's side is straightforward. Anthony has a top-flight track record, he is 26 and entering his peak years, and demand from multiple Premier League clubs strengthens their position.

Anthony joined Burnley on loan from Bournemouth in 2024, with the move made permanent last summer following promotion to the Premier League, triggering the £8m obligation-to-buy clause.

The relegation fire-sale begins

This is also a signal of how aggressively newly-relegated clubs will be raided. Burnley were down after just one season in the top flight, and their Premier League-ready players are now targets.

For Burnley, cashing in at £20m would fund their own rebuild ahead of a Championship campaign that begins against West Ham United on 16 August. Whether Brentford meet that valuation, or negotiate it down closer to the player's relegation reality, will define the deal.

What Anthony offers Keith Andrews' new-look Brentford

Andrews is the central figure here. The new coach considers Anthony a good fit for his style, and that endorsement matters more than the raw transfer economics.

Filling the gaps in a reshaped attack

Brentford finished ninth last season but lost out on Europe by the finest of margins. Reinforcing the attack is the priority, and Anthony offers pace, directness and proven Premier League end product from wide areas.

His career arc adds a compelling dimension. Released by Arsenal in 2016 without a senior appearance, he rebuilt at Bournemouth after loan spells at Weymouth and Leeds before establishing himself in the top flight.

That resilience, allied to his familiarity with the Premier League's physical demands, is exactly the profile Brentford have historically targeted in the transfer market.

Reading the betting angle ahead of Spurs

For bettors, the timing is significant. Brentford open their Premier League season against Tottenham Hotspur, a difficult assignment that will test the new attacking structure immediately.

If Anthony arrives before the opener, expect his output to shape Brentford's goal threat from the wide channels. If the deal drags, the Bees' attacking ceiling for that fixture looks lower, and that should feed into how their early-season markets are priced.

What happens next

Negotiations between Brentford and Burnley are live, and the headline issue is the gap between the £20m asking price and what the Bees believe Anthony is worth after relegation. Brentford's status as frontrunners means they hold momentum, but the fee still needs resolving.

Anthony's preference for a London move and Andrews' stylistic endorsement give Brentford a strong hand. With other Premier League clubs lurking, the Bees will want to move decisively rather than risk a bidding war.

Watch for movement before Brentford's opener against Tottenham. A completed deal in time would reshape their attacking outlook for the new season, while a stalemate over the fee could see this run deep into the window.