Igor Thiago joined the London club from Belgian side Brugge for a £30 million fee in July 2024.
More than the midpoint of the season, The Bees find themselves in fantasy land.
With victories in their last five outings, and a Brazilian striker netting the goals, suddenly supporters are dreaming of thoughts of trips to Milan, Munich and Barcelona next season.
A comprehensive three-nil win over Sunderland moved their manager's side into the fifth spot in the top flight – a place that was sufficient to secure European football last term.
Only leaders the Gunners have gathered more points over the past six games.
There is a long way to go yet but the West London outfit are squarely in the battle for European football.
No one was envisioning this last off-season.
Thomas Frank had departed for Tottenham after seven years in charge, a period in which he had not only got the club promoted but also cemented them in the top flight.
Skipper Christian Norgaard left for Arsenal and attacking duo Bryan Mbeumo and Yoane Wissa – who scored a total of 39 goals in the previous campaign – were out the door, joining United and Newcastle United respectively.
Set-piece coach Keith Andrews was promoted to replace Frank, while there was no striker among the off-season arrivals.
A year of struggle, possibly even relegation, was forecast. But here we are in January with Brentford in the top five.
So, how did they pull it off?
Igor Thiago's Record-breaking Season
Brentford's decision not to bring in another striker was in part down to circumstance, with Wissa's move not being finalized until the final day of the window.
But they also were aware they had a £30 million striker already chomping at the bit.
The 24-year-old joined from Club Brugge in July 2024 for a then-record fee, but was hindered by fitness issues in his debut campaign, going goalless in his initial outings.
Thiago has gone about making up for lost time this season, though, with his brace against Sunderland taking him to 16 league goals – the highest tally by a player from Brazil in a single Premier League campaign.
Considering the countrymen who have come before him, that is some accomplishment, especially with seventeen matches remaining.
"He has been a breath of fresh air," former Liverpool midfielder an analyst said. "He's physically intimidating, fast, strong, but more skilled than people think. Good with his feet, both feet, he can score off both. You can see he's full of confidence. These numbers are fantastic. He must be so proud. That's a big compliment to him."
That only Erling Haaland, Harry Kane and Kylian Mbappe have scored more in any of Europe's top five leagues to this point shows the standard he is operating at.
And it is not just the volume but the crucial nature of the goals that have been so pivotal for Brentford.
His opener against the Black Cats was his 7th opener of the season. Given how often we are told the importance of the initial strike in a game, having someone you can depend on to take that first big chance cannot be overstated.
Before the game against Sunderland, no player to have attempted at least thirty efforts this season has a better shot accuracy rate than the striker's 59.1 percent.
He hits the target. Achieve that often enough and the goals will – and have – come.
Given the hardships he had in his youth, where he labored in construction to provide for his family following the passing of his father, perhaps it should be unsurprising that pressure on the pitch is something he takes in his stride.
"The recruitment team deserve a lot of praise for the type of players they bring in and characters," the manager said. "This is really notable. He is a really special person who has adapted to life very well. He has had to forge this path. He has worked for his journey and grafted. He has got real determination about his personality. He is improving his skill set constantly and we are discovering more and more about him. He is a pretty complete centre-forward."
The Manager Showing Doubters Incorrect
Their star striker is the man of the moment but Brentford are not and have never been a single-player team.
While they had star players – Ivan Toney, Christian Eriksen, Mbeumo and Wissa – under their previous boss, they were always seen as a team stronger than the sum of their parts.
The fear was that once the manager left, that may not be the case, and that the collective quality of Brentford's parts alone might not be enough to stay up.
As a result, appointing their set-piece coach, with no previous managerial experience, and just a year at the club was seen by those outside the club as a huge risk.
A maiden role is a test for anyone, let alone when it comes in the world's toughest league and having made the leap from set-piece coach to the top job.
But given that Ipswich Town manager one candidate was the only other option that the hierarchy looked at, they were clearly convinced they had the right man.
So far, as often seems to be the case with the brains trust at Brentford, it looks as if they were correct.
The new boss won just a single of his first five league games in charge but significant home victories against United, the Reds and the Magpies have followed.
Wins that, following their brilliant recent form, could prove all the more important in the race for Europe.
"We're in fine fettle and playing really good. We are playing with bravery and conviction in everything we do with and without the ball," he added. "We are pleased with how we are going but we want to keep improving."
In a league where the European spots and the lower mid-table are currently separated by just eight points, they have no other option, because things could rapidly look very different.
But, for now, The Bees are beating the predictions. And the longer that lasts, the closer to fruition those aspirations of Europe will become.
