Brentford head coach Keith Andrews has shed light on the thinking behind the club’s decision to allow Frank Onyeka join Coventry City on loan, Soccernet.ng reports.
Andrews admits the Nigeria midfielder needed regular football after struggling for consistent minutes over the past couple of seasons.
Onyeka completed a deadline-day switch to the Sky Blues, who are top of the Championship table, in a deal that runs until the end of the 2025–26 season. The agreement includes an obligation for Coventry to make the transfer permanent should they secure promotion to the Premier League.
The 27-year-old joined Brentford from Danish side Midtjylland in July 2021 in a deal worth around €10 million, which at the time made him the most expensive signing in the club’s history. That record would later be surpassed by the arrival of Kristoffer Ajer, but Onyeka remains a significant figure in Brentford’s modern rise.
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He was the Bees’ first signing of their Premier League era and featured regularly in midfield during his debut campaign, as Brentford finished 13th and comfortably established themselves in the top flight. In total, Onyeka made 87 appearances in all competitions for the West London club.
Andrews paid tribute to Onyeka’s contribution but acknowledged that a lack of opportunities had influenced the decision to let him move on.
“He’s someone who has been a big part of our journey although he hasn’t had the minutes or game time that he would have liked,” Andrews told the club website.
“I feel it’s right that he goes on to pastures new because he’s a really good professional and a really good person.
“I wish him the best and I have no doubt that he will do really well.”
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Frank Onyeka: Coventry get a proven performer
During his time at the Gtech Community Stadium, Onyeka was part of the squad that helped Brentford grow from Premier League newcomers into a stable top-flight side. He also featured in the team that finished ninth in the 2022–23 season, the club’s highest-ever Premier League placing.
Before moving to England, Onyeka built his reputation at Midtjylland, where he won two Danish Superliga titles and the 2018–19 Danish Cup, while also gaining experience in both the Champions League and Europa League.
Last season, he spent time in Germany on loan at Augsburg, making 31 appearances in the Bundesliga, further revealing his versatility and work rate at the highest level.
At international level, Onyeka has earned 41 caps for Nigeria and was part of the Super Eagles squad that finished third at the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations.
Now, with Coventry pushing strongly for promotion, the midfielder will hope regular football in the Championship provides the platform to relaunch his Premier League ambitions, either with the Sky Blues or beyond.
