Brentford midfielder to become free agent? Charlton, Norwich City & QPR should eye summer swoop | OneFootball

FLW takes a look at three potential destinations for Josh Dasilva this summer with his Brentford deal due to expire

Few players have had a more unlucky few years than Brentford midfielder Josh Dasilva, who hasn't started a league game in nearly three years after a rotten array of injuries.

A product of the Arsenal youth system, Dasilva only ever made three senior appearances for the Gunners, all off the bench in the EFL Cup, before leaving the club in 2018 and subsequently signing for Brentford on a free transfer shortly after.

He'd appear sporadically in the Championship in his first season at the club, before making his mark in the second tier during the 2019/20 campaign, scoring ten and assisting four in 42 league appearances from midfield, emerging as a crucial component under Thomas Frank.

Dasilva would maintain his status as a mainstay in the side the following year, though a hip injury ruled him out of action in the final stages of the season, as Brentford earned promotion to the Premier League.

As has been the story of his career thus far, that injury kept him out for almost the entirety of the 2021/22 season, and although he would recover to make 36 Premier League appearances the campaign after, most of those were limited from the bench.

His last professional league start came back in April 2023, with hamstring problems and an ACL rupture ruling him out of action for a sustained period of time.

The Englishman's contract with the Bees expired last summer, though he was offered another one in the hopes that he would return to fitness, but that hasn't transpired, as he looks surely set to leave once and for all this summer.

With that being said, FLW has taken a look at three EFL clubs that should look to take the gamble on Dasilva this summer.

Charlton Athletic

Charlton Athletic look increasingly likely to retain their Championship status for another year under the guidance of Welsh boss Nathan Jones.

Jones has taken the Addicks from languishing in the third tier and has begun to cement their status in the second tier, all with a relatively limited budget, largely relying on free transfers.

The former Luton Town and Stoke City boss has always tended to thrive as an underdog, and Charlton is no different in this instance.

Should they indeed retain their status in the second tier next season, they will need to continue to strengthen across the board to continue to progress up the league table.

Someone like Dasilva not only has experience of getting out of this division with Brentford, but at 27, has just shy of a half-century of appearances in the Premier League, which would almost certainly be more had he remained fit.

In any instance, the biggest gamble for whoever his next club may be is his fitness level, and whether it is worth stomaching his wage demands to have him potentially unavailable.

Charlton are not flush with money, but someone like Dasilva could help to elevate their midfield to the next level, and it could be a risk worth taking for Jones.

Norwich City

Philippe Clement has come into Carrow Road and saved Norwich City from a relegation battle in sublime style, with the Canaries flying up the league table following his appointment.

Under Liam Manning, it seriously looked as though Norwich were in real danger of falling into League One, with the club languishing in the relegation zone at the time of his dismissal.

Now, Canaries fans will be relieved that another season of Championship football likely awaits them next year, and if Clement's stint so far is a sign of things to come, they have a lot to be excited about.

The Belgian boss made the January additions of the likes of Ali Ahmed, Mohamed Toure, Sam Field, and Paris Maghoma, all of whom have had a positive impact since their arrivals.

Maghoma signed from Brentford, and Norwich should look to the Bees again this summer to add to their ranks, with Dasilva likely to be available on a free.

The Englishman needs a fresh start elsewhere, and working under Clement at Carrow Road could be the perfect fit.

Although Norwich has had injury woes themselves this campaign, this shouldn't deter them from making a move for Dasilva, who, if fit, could significantly improve their midfield options.

With Kenny McClean not getting any younger, Sam Field only on loan, and Mirko Topic on the road to recovery after a season-ending injury, another body in the middle of the park wouldn't go amiss, and Dasilva could be a potential option.

Queens Park Rangers

If Dasilva doesn't want to change homes, then Queens Park Rangers is his logical next move in that regard.

Roughly 3.4 miles separate Loftus Road and the Brentford Community Stadium from one another, and though the two have a long-standing rivalry between each other, it's not quite the fiercest in the land.

QPR boss Julien Stephan has helped to develop players such as Jeremy Doku, Ousmane Dembele, Raphinha, and Eduardo Camavinga throughout his career, highlighting his expertise as a coach.

Although Dasilva is now 27, this is certainly something he could benefit from after spending so long out injured.

Jonathan Varane has been consistently linked with a move away over the past couple of windows, whilst Nicolas Madsen has cemented himself as among the best midfielders in the league, and will almost certainly attract attention sooner rather than later.

On a free, Dasilva could be a savvy piece of business, though like all the other previously raised issues, his fitness is the biggest red flag teams will see when looking at him, and QPR will be no different.