Brentford B winger and Nigeria-eligible forward Michael Olakigbe has joined Austrian Bundesliga side WSG Tirol on a season-long loan ahead of the 2026/27 campaign, Boldsports report.
The move comes shortly after Super Eagles midfielder Frank Onyeka completed his permanent transfer to Coventry City, marking another significant change in Brentford’s squad this summer.
Olakigbe heads to Austria after gaining valuable experience during the second half of last season with League Two club Swindon Town. The 22-year-old made 18 appearances in all competitions after arriving in January, scoring one goal and providing three assists despite starting only six matches. Brentford hope another loan spell will give the winger regular senior football and accelerate his development.
The Austrian club finished seventh before the Bundesliga split last season and successfully avoided relegation by ending the campaign three points above the drop zone. The move presents Olakigbe with his first opportunity to play club football outside England.
Brentford B head coach Sam Saunders believes the experience will benefit the young winger.
“It’s a good opportunity for Michael to go and test himself again in men’s football, but this time abroad and showcase what he can do.
From his loans in the Football League, it’ll be interesting to see how he goes and expresses himself abroad.
I’m sure that he’ll get some great exposure and some good learnings, and we look forward to seeing him when he gets back.”
Olakigbe joined Brentford from Fulham in 2022 and quickly impressed with the club’s B team. He made his senior debut in the EFL Cup against Newport County in August 2023 before featuring eight times in the Premier League during the 2023/24 season.
His progress earned him a long-term contract in November 2023, keeping him at Brentford until June 2028.
Since then, the club has carefully managed his development through loan spells. He represented Peterborough United in League One before playing for Wigan Athletic and later Chesterfield, where he scored two goals in 17 appearances and helped the club reach the League Two play-off semi-finals. After returning from Swindon, he also featured as a half-time substitute in Brentford’s Professional Development League national final victory over Bournemouth Under-21s.
Although Olakigbe has represented England at youth level up to the Under-20 side, he remains eligible to play for Nigeria through his parents. Having never featured in a senior competitive international match, the winger can still switch allegiance to the Super Eagles if selected in the future.
