Soccer
Michael Olakigbe. Copyright: xMarkxDxFullerx IMAGO
Brentford have confirmed that Nigerian-eligible winger Michael Olakigbe has joined Austrian Bundesliga club WSG Tirol on a season-long loan, Soccernet.ng reports.
Olakigbe departs the Brentford Community Stadium just days after Super Eagles midfielder Frank Onyeka completed his permanent move to Coventry City. The two transfers signal another busy period for the Premier League club as they continue reshaping their squad ahead of the 2026/27 season.
Olakigbe, who is eligible to represent Nigeria through his parents despite playing for England at youth level, will spend the campaign in Austria as Brentford hope he gains more first-team experience in senior football.
Before the move, the 22-year-old spent the second half of the last season on loan at Swindon Town in England’s League Two. After arriving in January, he played 18 matches in all competitions, scoring one goal and providing three assists, despite making only six starts.
Olakigbe will look to impress at a WSG Tirol side that finished seventh before the Austrian Bundesliga split and eventually avoided relegation by finishing three points above the drop zone.
Soccer Brentford explain Olakigbe’s latest loan move
Brentford B head coach Sam Saunders believes the move will help the winger continue his development by experiencing football outside England for the first time.
“It’s a good opportunity for Michael to go and test himself again in men’s football, but this time abroad and showcase what he can do.
“From his loans in the Football League, it’ll be interesting to see how he goes and expresses himself abroad.
“I’m sure that he’ll get some great exposure and some good learnings, and we look forward to seeing him when he gets back.”
Olakigbe has been part of Brentford’s long-term plans for several years. After joining the club from Fulham in 2022, he impressed with the Bees’ B team before making his senior debut in the EFL Cup against Newport County in August 2023.
He also made eight Premier League appearances during the 2023/24 season, earning a new long-term contract in November 2023 that runs until June 2028.
Since then, Brentford have sent him on several loans to speed up his development. He played five League One matches for Peterborough United before reaching the play-off semi-finals in 2024. He later featured 18 times for Wigan Athletic, moved to Chesterfield in January 2025, where he scored two goals in 17 games, and again reached the League Two play-off semi-finals.
After returning from Swindon, Olakigbe also came off the bench at half-time as Brentford defeated Bournemouth Under-21s in the Professional Development League national final.
Although he has represented England up to Under-20 level, Olakigbe remains eligible to play for Nigeria because both of his parents are Nigerian and he has never played a senior competitive international match. That means he can still choose to represent the Super Eagles in the future if called upon.
Imhonlamhen
Imhonlamhen is a football writer and editor at Soccernet.ng with over six years’ experience shaping its editorial voice. A lifelong Arsenal and Super Eagles fan, he combines engineering precision with training in journalism and digital media. He has covered four AFCONs and two Women’s AFCON tournaments, specialising in Super Eagles history and tracking Nigerian players worldwide, while keeping a close eye on the NPFL and emerging homegrown talents.
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