Jordan Henderson set the standard during his short stint at Brentford, but now it is up to the team to maintain it, says Bees captain Nathan Collins. 

Henderson signed a two-year contract with Brentford last year following his exit from Ajax, going on to make 34 appearances in all competitions for Keith Andrews' side. 

The 36-year-old helped Brentford finish ninth in the Premier League, missing out on a spot in the Conference League on goal difference on the final day of the campaign. 

At the end of 2025-26, Henderson decided to cut his stay at Brentford short and departed by mutual consent before completing a surprise move to London rivals Chelsea. 

Despite his short stint with Brentford, he certainly left a lasting impression on Collins, who is confident his team-mates can build on the solid foundations laid by Henderson. 

"The main thing is him as a person," Collins told Sky Sports. "It was a short stint, but I think he really enjoyed his time here.

"He showed his true colours by the end of the season – who he is and what he's about.

"He got on with everyone, he had a really good attitude and looked forward to talking to people.

"And his standards on the pitch were a really big thing. He drove them, and he had a high set of standards. He really drove training a lot. 

"It's tough that he's gone, but we have a few players who can step into that role and help out. What he's left from last season, I think that will continue."

Since making his Premier League debut in Sunderland's 5-0 away defeat to Chelsea in November 2008, only James Milner (481) has made more appearances in the competition than Henderson (463), and his experience will be a huge miss in Brentford's midfield. 

And the Bees have gone about replacing the England international by completing a club-record deal for Mamadou Sangare, who joined from Ligue 1 side Lens last month. 

Sangare signed a five-year contract for a reported £41m (€47.9m) transfer fee, having helped Lens finish second in Ligue 1 and win their first-ever Coupe de France title.

Last season in Ligue 1, Sangare won possession back for his side on more occasions than any other midfielder (207). He also ranked second for tackles (86) and duels won (190), and joint-third for interceptions (40) among midfielders.

Collins has been impressed by the impact of the 23-year-old, saying: "He brings a lot of energy. He brings a lot of tackles and forward-thinking passes. 

"He's just a really good footballer and a smart footballer.

"He speaks really good English so he’s settled in really nicely and to have him in front of you, it'll be a big help for all players."