Dean Smith expects Newcastle target Alan Judge to still be a Brentford player after the transfer window closes.

The Magpies have been heavily linked with a move for the Irishman, who is recovering from a broken leg suffered at Ipswich in April.

Discussions have taken place between the two clubs, although Smith expects Newcastle and other potential suitors to wait until January.

“I expect Alan Judge will still be a Brentford player on September 1,” Smith said. “Alan's injury is well-known to everyone but there have been enquiries from a number of clubs.

“With his injury at the moment I don't think anyone is going to take the plunge to take him. He's still our player and very much in our plans.”

Brentford have sold Jake Bidwell and David Button already this summer as they were in the last years of their contracts and unlikely to sign a new deal and Judge is also in the same category, meaning the club are likely to try and cash in on their prized asset before his contract expires.

Smith added: “I think it's the same case. I don't think anything is going to happen in this window as he's had two screws taken out of his leg a couple of weeks ago.

“I've waxed lyrical about him a lot anyway. Let's see where we are when the window reopens in January.

“If there are clubs in our league wanting our players and they're competing against us; we won't be forced into doing anything.”

For now then at least, Judge remains a Brentford player and Smith insisted the Irishman was happy with the arrangement and had not held talks with other clubs.

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“Alan knows he's still our player and he's happy with that. He's continuing his rehab and he's focused on getting back to full fitness," the head coach revealed.

“As far as I'm concerned he's doing rehab in our gym at the moment so he's not gone for talks anywhere.

“He comes into the training ground with a smile on his face and gets on with his work. That smile on the face has sometimes got a moan as it's very difficult to come back from the injury he has as he wants to be on the pitch.”

Were Judge to leave at any point, though, he would depart with the full blessings of his head coach given his superb work in red and white stripes.

Smith explained: “I wouldn't begrudge Alan Judge a move to the Premier League at any stage in his career as he's shown what a good player he is.

“If there was a big club coming in for him nobody would begrudge him. He's our player. The important thing is to get him back to fitness.”