Brentford have completed the signing of Wolves defender Nathan Collins for a club record £23m, following the departure of Pontus Jansson, and he will likely slot straight into the defence.
The question remains of who Thomas Frank will drop, if either, of Ben Mee or Ethan Pinnock. Both centre-backs are left-footed, and it is clear that Collins was targeted for his younger age profile, with both the current options in their thirties.
The 22-year-old was highly rated at Stoke prior to his move to Wolves, but had a slightly underwhelming season at Molineux. Nevertheless, this did not deter Brentford from their interest.
With Ben Mee playing such a crucial role last season, it seems that Pinnock may be the one to drop out, unless Brentford switch to a back-five formation, which they used on a number of occasions last season.
How does Collins compare to Pinnock?
The Republic of Ireland international ranks lower for his ability in the air compared to Pinnock, despite his size advantage over the Jamaican.
Pinnock ranks as one of the best in Europe when it comes to aerial duels and clearances, two areas in which Collins struggled, and it perhaps indicates that dropping the 30-year-old for Collins may reduce Brentford’s aerial advantage, which has been a strength of theirs under Frank.
However, Collins’ ability on the ball, highlighted through his high rank for take-ons, is significantly better than Pinnock’s. The Irishman may therefore be selected for his ability to play out from the back, and with Brentford expected to lose goalkeeper David Raya, this may become necessary as Frank attempts to adjust the style with a different option.
Overall, it seems that Collins and Pinnock can play together, or one may start next to Mee depending on the opponents. Pinnock may be preferred against more physical opponents, whilst Collins may be selected in games where Brentford might have more possession.