Curse is probably a strong word, but Igor Thiago is certainly doing a lot for the Pro League at the moment. Brentford spent big money to sign him from Club Brugge, a move that I was incredibly sceptical about at the time. Not because I didnโt think Thiago was a good player, but because history had shown that a free scoring striker in Belgium rarely does well in the Premier League. Thiago has shown that perhaps that isnโt the case anymore.
Wolves fans will certainly disagree, although their problems go beyond what Tolu Arokodare can likely make up for. The Nigerian joined the Premier League strugglers from Genk last season and has gone on to score four goals, with only one of these coming in the league. Last season Tolu scored 23 goals in 45 games for Genk.
Thiago joined Brentford off the back of 29 goals in 55 games for Club Brugge. He started the 2024/2025 season on a run of eight games without scoring before an injury. Returning this season, the 24-year-old Brazilian has grabbed an impressive 17 goals in 22 games. Surely a call up to the Brazilian national team next summer is on the cards? The forward has certainly improved his efficiency while at Brentford, as during his time at Club Brugge he missed a number of simple chances.
Thiago has somehow been able to overcome the struggle of adapting to the Premier League, a struggle which has hampered other Pro League forwards in the past. Paul Onuachu, like Tolu, left Genk for a struggling Premier League side. Onuachu has the single season record for goals in Belgium and was unplayable during the 2020/2021 season. After 35 goals that season, 23 the next and then 17 halfway through the 2022/2023 season, Onuachu joined Southampton. He then scored no goals in 11 games as the side were relegated.
Mbwana Samatta was another one that left Genk, this time for Aston Villa. The Tanzanian legend had scored 32 goals in 51 games during the 2018/2019 season at Genk, with 10 in 28 the following season. He joined Villa in the winter window of the 2019/2020 Premier League season. In 16 games he scored twice and then didnโt play for Aston Villa again.
Tolu, Samatta and Onuachu were three of the best strikers the Pro League has seen in recent seasons, yet none of them could find success in the Premier League. This is the main reason why I thought Thiago would struggle. He has proven me wrong, just like Keith Andrews has proven many pundits wrong with how he has taken Brentford from a relegation candidate to fighting for the top six.
So, who will be next? Kaye Furo has already been snapped up by Brentford as they clearly see the Pro League as a viable source for future strikers. The top scoring forwards at the moment include Promise David. The Canadian has eight goals and has been strongly linked with a move away from Union St Gilloise in the future. David has the physicality to compete in the Premier League, and after 24 goals in 41 games last season, some Premier League sides may look at what Thiago has done with Brentford and try and emulate that with Promise David.
Thiagoโs success with Brentford could be the catalyst for more of the Premier League riches flowing into the Belgian Pro League.
GBeNeFNย |ย Ben Jackson
