Premier League newcomers Brentford have signed former Huddersfield and Everton goalkeeper Jonas Lossl on an initial loan from Danish side Midtjylland. The Bees have an option to make the deal a permanent one at the end of the season, which would trigger a contract through to the summer of 2023 for the 32-year-old Dane.
Brentford’s first-choice keeper David Raya is still sidelined with a long-term knee injury which he sustained in October. The head coach of the club Thomas Frank said: “Jonas is a very good goalkeeper.” He also said: “He fits the criteria of what we want in a goalkeeper with his feet and in his penalty area.”
Alvaro Fernandez, who signed from Spanish side Huesca in the summer, has stepped up in Raya’s absence. Frank revealed that the 23-year-old Spaniard had missed some training recently, with 18-year-old Matt Cox his most obvious deputy.
Lossl played 69 Premier League games for Huddersfield but did not make an appearance for Everton before heading back to Midtjylland in February.
The head coach also said: “This gives us an extra experienced goalkeeper in training and also someone who has played Premier League games and will be used to that matchday environment if he starts a game for us.”
Brentford is currently in the 14th place position in the top flight league table and Midtjylland shares close connections at boardroom level with the Bees owner Matthew Benham holding the majority of shares in the Danish top-flight side.
Rasmus Ankerson, the Bees’ outgoing director of football, is also Midtjylland’s chairman.