Wolves defender Nathan Collins on the cusp of joining Brentford

Wolves defender Nathan Collins is on the verge of joining Brentford, as Thomas Frank closes in on his third signing of the summer transfer window.

Brentford have had two bids of £20.5m and £22m for Nathan Collins rejected by Wolves. Earlier this week, the Bees had tabled a third bid of £23m but the Wolves were holding out for a guaranteed £25m. Eventually, following strenuous negotiations, the West London club have reportedly agreed in principle a deal with the Wanderers to sign the defender for an initial £23million—with the two Premier League clubs still in discussion about performance-related clauses.

Collins, 22, moved to Stoke City from Burnley for £12m in 2021 but spent much of the first half on the bench. He became a regular from March onwards but couldn’t help Burnley beat the drop. That prompted Wolves to swoop in and the centre-back was a regular under Bruno Lage.

However, the Republic of Ireland international fell down the pecking order following the arrival of Craig Dawson in January. Despite falling out of favour under Julen Lopetegui, Collins made 31 appearances in all formats last season, helping Wolves maintain their top-flight status.

Nathan Collins would improve Brentford’s defensive depth

Thomas Frank did wonders with Brentford last season, guiding the club to a ninth-placed finish in the Premier League. After an excellent season, where the Bees took plenty of big scalps at home, Frank will be hoping to consolidate their position.

They have already started making moves in the transfer window, signing Dutch goalkeeper Mark Flekken from Freiburg. The West London side recently acquired the services of South Korean youngster Kim Ji-soo, who will initially link up with the Brentford B team. In addition, exciting youngster Kevin Schade has also arrived from Freiburg on a permanent deal after spending the second half of last season at the G-tech Community Stadium.

Having lost Pontus Jansson earlier this summer, Frank wants to replace him in the squad with Nathan Collins. Collins, who can also operate at right-back, will provide the Bees’ defence with solidity and physicality, while his ability on the ball can be of huge help when initiating attacks from the back. Only 22, he would be viewed as a long-term replacement for Jansson, who is 32 and played just 12 Premier League games last term.

At around £ 23 million, Brentford signing Collins would represent a fantastic piece of business—one that will not only add value to their current squad but also in the long run.