Brentford are reportedly closing in on their second summer signing after agreeing a deal for Napoli midfielder Jens Cajuste.
The Denmark international has been linked with a move to the Premier League on several occasions in recent seasons after he was reportedly the subject of an unsuccessful £13m offer from Newcastle United during his time with Midtjylland. However, it was French club Reims that secured his services during the January 2022 transfer window before he went on to join Napoli in a £9m move last summer just months after their historic Serie A title win.
Cajuste made 35 appearances in all competitions during his first season with the club – but just 16 came as part of their starting eleven and that has led to suggestions his time in Italy could be limited to a solitary season. The 23-times capped Sweden international was initially linked with Brentford last month and journalist Fabrizio Romano has now reported the Bees have agreed a loan deal for the midfielder that has a clause to initiate a £10m permanent move next summer.
He posted on X (formerly Twitter): “Jens Cajuste to Brentford, deal agreed and verbally done on loan with buy clause that could become mandatory around £10m. Napoli have approved the deal. Understand medical tests have been booked on Monday in UK.”
Meanwhile, Cajuste could have further competition for a place in Thomas Frank’s midfield after the Bees boss hinted Paris Maghoma could be set to ‘push forward’ after returning to the club following a successful loan spell at Bolton Wanderers. The 23-year-old made 50 appearances during his season-long stint with the Trotters and has now put pen-to-paper on a new contract that will commit him to Brentford until the summer of 2027. Frank praised Maghoma for his development during his time away from the club and admitted his future was ‘looking promising’.
He told the club website: “I’m very happy that Paris has signed a new contract. He has been with the club for quite a while and I have always liked him as a player. He has the technical ability and all of the key attributes that you need in the modern game – now it is on him and us to push forward. He has developed and matured as a player and a person over these last years, with some great loan opportunities, so it is looking promising for him.”
As it stands, Brazilian striker Igor Thiago remains Frank’s only new signing of the summer after he completed a club record £32m move to Brentford from Belgian side Club Brugge. However, the 23-year-old is now likely to miss the majority of the first half of the season after undergoing surgery on a knee injury he suffered on his debut in a pre-season friendly against AFC Wimbledon.
Napoli’s defence of their title proved to be something of a disaster as they ended last season sat in tenth place in Italian football’s top tier. There was little to cheer in the cup competitions to as they fell to a round-of-16 defeat in a Coppa Italia tie with Frosinone, lost in the final of the Supercoppa Italia to Inter and were knocked out of the Champions League by Barcelona after a 4-2 aggregate defeat in the Round of 16.
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