First of all, a word of support for Peter Gilham, the iconic voice of Brentford who has been diagnosed with prostate cancer.

The reaction from fans, players and ex-players to the news is a testament to what a fantastic person he is. We all wish him a speedy recovery.

After a fortnight of very few ongoings at Brentford, the past week has seen activity pick up both on and off the pitch.

On the pitch, Brentford began pre-season well with a convincing 5-1 victory at Aldershot on Friday.

The squad are now at a French training camp, and there is a positive atmosphere amongst the players which is good to see.

Reece Cole celebrates his fine goal

However the most exciting news, (as well as the most daunting news), has come off the pitch.

Starting with the good news, the signing of Kamohelo Mokotjo from FC Twente is very exciting. “The General” completed more passes in the Eredivisie last season than any other player, and will hopefully become the tough-tackling, in-your-face midfield presence Brentford have lacked in recent seasons.

For just £800,000 he is also somewhat of a steal – I'm looking forward to seeing the impact he makes.

The search for a striker, a position identified by Brentford as a priority, is also gathering pace. Exeter's Ollie Watkins, one of the Football League's hottest prospects, has once again been linked and I believe he would be a fantastic signing.

He fits the Brentford profile perfectly – he's young, has huge potential and will have great sell-on value in the future.

Ollie Watkins

He will also provide strong competition for Lasse Vibe – Watkins scored 16 goals in all competitions last season so he knows where the back of the net is.

However, reports linking talisman and fan-favourite Jota with an £8m move away from Brentford are very concerning.

I feel selling our best player for just £8m would seriously undermine the Premier League dream Brentford have sold to the fans.

The awaiting riches of the Premier League must surely be worth the gamble of keeping Jota, even if it risks him leaving for free at the end of the season.