Brentford working on €20m deal for Jannik Schuster from Red Bull Salzburg | OneFootball

According to NY Times, Brentford are working on a €20million (£17.2m) move for Red Bull Salzburg defender Jannik Schuster.

The 19-year-old has made 26 first-team appearances this season and is a regular for Austria’s under-21s.

He played four Europa League games, starting Salzburg’s 3-2 loss to Aston Villa in January.

Schuster joined FC Liefering in 2023, making 39 appearances across three seasons, then returned to RB Salzburg last summer.

Registered as a co-operation player under OFB rules, he could feature for Liefering and Salzburg’s youth teams in the same season.

Brentford sit seventh in the Premier League with three matches left and hope to qualify for Europe for the first time.

They are well stocked with right-footed centre-backs, suggesting any deal would be made with the future in mind. Captain Nathan Collins and Sepp van den Berg have started 29 games this season.

Both are right-footed, with Collins usually on the left of the pairing. Kristoffer Ajer provides cover.

Ethan Pinnock is the only naturally left-footed centre-back, yet his game time has dropped. The 32-year-old Jamaica international has made only four appearances and has a year left on his contract.

Schuster can play on either side of central defence, which would appeal with Brentford mindful of possible European involvement.

Salzburg’s academy has produced Dominik Szoboszlai and Konrad Laimer, and Brentford hope Schuster could be the next to emerge.

He has taken a different path from his brother, Jonas, and father, Werner, who are professional ski-jumpers.

Source: NY Times