All eyes have been on Liverpool’s impressive transfer activity this summer with Florian Wirtz and Hugo Ekitike making instant impacts on their debuts this weekend.
It was the Liverpool defence that cost them in Sunday’s Community Shield as Crystal Palace were victorious at Wembley. And Arne Slot will hope those errors were simply down to rustiness as he looks to successfully defend the Premier League title.
As well as the new signings, Liverpool brought goalkeeper Giorgi Mamardashvili to the club after signing him from Valencia last summer before loaning him back to the Spanish side.
Caoimhin Kelleher celebrating Alexis Mac Allister's goal vs Fulham
Photo by Julian Finney/Getty Images
And that arrival saw Irishman Caoimhin Kelleher depart on a permanent transfer after six years as Alisson’s back-up at Liverpool. Kelleher joined Brentford for around £12m, where he will finally be number one.
‘Brilliant’ Caoimhin Kelleher told he will struggle at Brentford
With Mark Flekken leaving Brentford, as well as manager Thomas Frank, striker Bryan Mbeumo and captain Christian Norgaard, there is a new era at the Gtech Stadium.
Given those influential departures, many are backing Brentford to struggle this season, including Gary Lineker on The Rest is Football Podcast.
Lineker praised the signing of Kelleher, saying: “I do like Kelleher in goal, I think he’s been brilliant whenever Alisson’s been injured at Liverpool.”
But co-host Micah Richards then said: “However, if you rip up the squad like it’s been, you lose the manager with so much experience, and suddenly no one knows what they’re doing. For me, that puts them in a relegation battle, because you’re starting over from scratch.
“You can always change players if the manager stays the same, but you can’t change players and the manager at the same time – it’s just going to be difficult.”
Yoane Wissa could be the next player to leave Brentford
Alan Shearer then hinted at another high-profile exit from Brentford, with striker Yoane Wissa linked with a transfer to Newcastle throughout the summer.
TBR Football understand that Alexander Isak has no intention of playing for Newcastle again as he continues to be exiled from training, which could lead Eddie Howe’s side to return to their interest in Wissa.
Yoane Wissa celebrates after scoring for Brentford against Ipswich
Photo by Ryan Pierse/Getty Images
And Shearer thinks a relegation battle is therefore on the cards for a Brentford side whose only attacking signing this summer is 20-year-old Antoni Milambo from Feyenoord.
Shearer said: “I’ve got them in a relegation battle as well. When you’re losing that many goals, and the whisper is that Newcastle [want to sign Wissa]… if they lose him, and of course Mbeumo, then bringing in a new manager on top of that is a massive ask. So, for me, they’re in a relegation battle.”