Keith Andrews says Jordan Henderson and Vitaly Janelt are “pretty close” to returning for Brentford, while Rico Henry remains further away from full fitness.
Keith Andrews has confirmed Jordan Henderson and Vitaly Janelt are nearing returns for Brentford, although Rico Henry is not yet as close to being available.
Brentford host West Ham United in the Premier League on Saturday, with Andrews waiting to see whether Henderson or Janelt can be involved at the Gtech Community Stadium. Both players have been progressing in their recoveries, but the club will make a final decision closer to the game.
“Vitaly and Jordan are pretty close, so we’ll make a decision on that tomorrow, but they’ve made good progress,” Andrews said. “Rico is not as close.”
Janelt has been recovering from a metatarsal injury, while Henderson has been sidelined since the international break. Their possible returns would give Brentford more depth and experience in midfield at an important stage of the season, particularly with fixtures continuing to come quickly.
Henry, meanwhile, remains further away as he continues his recovery from a hamstring issue. The left-back has had another disrupted campaign, and Andrews’ update suggests Brentford will continue to take a cautious approach rather than rush him back before he is ready.
There was more positive news on Josh Dasilva, who returned to the Brentford matchday squad for the first time since January 2024 during Monday night’s 2-1 defeat to Manchester United.
Dasilva did not come on at Old Trafford, but his inclusion on the bench was still a significant step after a long spell out. Andrews said the midfielder had earned his place in the squad, while also making clear Brentford are still managing his workload carefully.
“Josh had to work really hard to get back to this point, so it was lovely to have him as part of the squad,” Andrews said. “He wouldn’t be on the bench if I didn’t think he could make an impact of sorts.
“We haven’t really wanted to shout about the progress he's making from the rooftops and add more pressure to his journey back, which has obviously been very, very long.
“We’re very careful around how and when we train him. We still need to look after him really carefully but he’s looking pretty free and has trained really well over the last few weeks.”
Dasilva’s return gives Brentford another potential midfield option, although Andrews’ comments underline that patience will still be needed. After such a lengthy absence, the priority will be building him back gradually rather than expecting an immediate full return.
Fábio Carvalho and Antoni Milambo remain out for the rest of the season with ACL injuries, leaving Andrews without two attacking options for the final stretch of the campaign.
For Brentford, the immediate focus will be on whether Henderson or Janelt can return against West Ham. Even if both are not ready to start, having either player back in the squad would be a useful boost as Andrews looks to manage his midfield options through the run-in.