Igor Thiago signs new Brentford contract to 2031 | OneFootball

Brentford announced on Friday that Igor Thiago has signed a new contract to 2031, with a club option for a further year.

The 24-year-old striker has 17 Premier League goals this season, only Manchester City’s Erling Haaland has more. Brentford are seventh and chasing European football, which would be a first in the club’s history.

Brentford secured him from Club Brugge in February 2024 as a long-term replacement for Ivan Toney, and he officially joined that July on a five-year deal. A pre-season knee injury blunted his first year, restricting him to eight league appearances and no goals, with only one start.

Head coach Keith Andrews highlighted Thiago’s bond with team-mates, staff and supporters, and his evolution as a player central to Brentford’s approach. He viewed the new deal as thoroughly deserved.

Born in Gama near Brasília, Thiago worked as a teenager to support his family, including collecting rubbish and carrying groceries. After time in Cruzeiro’s academy he scored four in 43 senior games before moving to Ludogorets in March 2022, then impressing at Club Brugge.

This season he has flourished, surpassing expectations and leaving him on the verge of a first Brazil call-up. From Brentford’s perspective, tying down a key performer looks astute when rival clubs would surely have considered a summer move.

Source: NY Times