In-form Jansson in line for new Brentford deal

Bees boss Thomas Frank says defender Pontus Jansson is ‘in the form of his life'.

Pontus Jansson could be offered a new contract at Brentford as Premier League rivals consider a move for the Sweden defender.

Leicester, Newcastle and Everton are interested in signing Jansson during the January transfer window, but Bees boss Thomas Frank is determined to keep his club captain.

Jansson is out of contract at the end of the season and, when asked if he will be in line for a new deal, Frank said: "You never know. It's just been Christmas, so maybe!

"The last time I looked, he was our player. Without naming too many players who will be playing against Aston Villa on Sunday, I'm pretty sure that he will start.

"He's our club captain, and we're very pleased with him. This is his best season so far, and that's remarkable after stepping up to the Premier League.

"He's played at a very high, stable level. The last two years, he's been hit by more injuries, but he's in the form of his life."

Villa's visit to the Brentford Community Stadium will complete a busy festive schedule of four games in 12 days, but Frank insists that his team, promoted from the Championship last season, have taken it in their stride.

"We've done this for the last two years in the Championship. Last year it was even more," he said.

"We played 11 games, so it was basically Saturday, midweek, Saturday, midweek, for 11 games in a row.

"Of course as a coach you'd prefer Saturday to Saturday – more time, more details. But we know this, and we love to play games. I love the Christmas programme. I think it's fantastic.

"The thing I would say is that I understand when some managers talk about there being only one day between games, I think that is too little.

"Two is fine. We've done that a lot of times, but one is simply…I don't understand it, basically."

Brentford has accumulated 20 points as they are near the league campaign's halfway stage.

"With injuries and Covid, it's remarkable the number of points that we've got. If you look at the performances, we could have had even more," Frank said.

"I have such big ambitions and am such a big believer in this club and this team. But I try to get away from thinking about the table.

"Instead, I look to maximise every single minute we have on the training pitch and in games because that gives us the opportunity to finish as high as possible."