Dango Ouattara Signs for Brentford in Club-Record Transfer

Brentford have signed Dango Ouattara from Bournemouth for £42 million, a new club record. The 23-year-old forward will stay until June 2030, with a possible extra year. After a strong season with Bournemouth, Ouattara is set to boost Brentford’s attack. This transfer could reach £42 million with add-ons, making it the club’s biggest signing ever, according to recent reports.

WHAT HAPPENED?

Brentford quickly secured Dango Ouattara after losing key players like Bryan Mbeumo to Manchester United and Christian Norgaard to Arsenal. Coach Keith Andrews praised Ouattara’s league experience and exciting play. After Ouattara wanted to leave, Bournemouth accepted the offer and now are looking for new players. In his last season, Ouattara scored seven goals and provided four assists for Bournemouth in 32 league games. Ouattara has played 88 games for Bournemouth, scoring 11 goals and assisting nine since joining from Lorient in January 2023.

IMPACT ON BRENTFORD AND BOURNEMOUTH

Brentford lost several top players this summer, so Ouattara’s arrival is vital for their rebuilding. The team’s performance last season was a concern as they finished 13th in the Premier League and are aiming to improve this time around. Now, Bournemouth face a tough start as they seek a new striker, with Amine Adli from Bayer Leverkusen as a possible option. They initially wanted to keep Ouattara, but they agreed to sell when Brentford came calling.

WHAT NEXT FOR BRENTFORD AND OUATTARA?

Brentford begin the new season aiming to improve from last year’s 13th place finish, with a squad that is arguably weaker than last time around and with coaching changes. They face Nottingham Forest next, a team that finished 7th and qualified for the Conference League. Brentford hope Ouattara will adapt quickly and fill the gap left by Mbeumo and Wissa. Bournemouth, who finished 9th last season, play against Wolves as they rebuild their attack with both teams having lost their initial matches against 2 title contenders. Both clubs will closely watch Ouattara as he’s expected to lead Brentford’s forward line this season.