Frank Onyeka: Brentford manager explains decision to loan Nigeria star

Brentford manager Keith Andrews has revealed the Premier League club’s decision to loan out Nigeria forward Frank Onyeka until the end of the season.

The Super Eagle joined EFL Championship club Coventry City on loan for the remainder of the 2025-26 season. The deal includes an obligation to make the move permanent should the Sky Blues secure promotion to the Premier League this campaign.

Frank 🤝 Frank. pic.twitter.com/Z3aKuIt590

— Coventry City (@Coventry_City) February 3, 2026

Onyeka had joined Brentford from Midtjylland in July 2021 and made 87 appearances for the Bees in all competitions. Explaining the move, Andrews said it was aimed at giving Onyeka more playing time.

‘I think it’s time he goes to greener pastures’

“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 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.”

Onyeka was Brentford’s first signing of the Premier League era. He regularly featured in the middle of the park during the first half of the season, helping the Bees to a 13th-place finish, and represented Nigeria at the Africa Cup of Nations.

He went on to make 23 appearances during the 2022/23 campaign and registered two assists.

In the middle of the 2023-24 season – during which he scored his only goal for the club, against Sheffield United in April 2024 – he departed for AFCON again and, this time, came home with a runners-up medal after Nigeria were beaten 2-1 by Ivory Coast in the final.

The 28-year-old played nine times for the Bees this season and was part of the Nigeria squad that reached the semi-finals of AFCON 2025 in Morocco.