Brentford had planned talks with midfielder Casper Nielsen this summer, before he eventually signed by Club Brugge.
That’s according to Het Laatste Niuews, who detail how the summer went for the 28-year-old today.
They explain that Nielsen has made himself an ‘indispensable pawn’ at Brugge since his arrival in a ‘turbulent transfer summer’.
According to them the top clubs were lining up for Nielsen after a breakthrough year last year, with Antwerp, AA Gent and Anderlecht all competitors for Club Brugge.
A departure from Union SG was a given and he eventually ended up at Brugge in mid-July, but not before talks elsewhere.
Agent Mogi Bayat had been given a mandate to sell the midfielder and arranged talks with Gent, Nantes and Brentford.
However, the player held firm and made it clear that he would be going to Brugge, biding his time and hoping the two teams could come to an agreement.
At one point he was training without playing in an attempt to force through a move, which eventually happened just under two months later.
“I was mostly relieved when I signed,” Nielsen explained.
“When you’re in the middle of such a soap opera. It’s harder than people think. But it was my dream to leave for the biggest club in Belgium. This was the right move for me.”
His adjustment in Belgium has since been a smooth one, starring both domestically and in Europe, adding his fourth goal of the season against Anderlecht last week.
It’s been a good start to life at his new club, something that may have left his other suitors like Brentford wondering what might have been.
