Nigeria and Brentford midfielder Frank Onyeka has shown up in the numbers as one of the most proactive players in the Premier League this season.
The 26-year-old is currently in his third year in England since joining the Bees from FC Midtjylland in July 2021. Onyeka’s first two seasons with Brentford saw him make 20 and 21 appearances in the Premier League, respectively, but he has already surpassed both tallies in the current campaign after gaining the trust of manager Thomas Frank.
He has so far played 27 matches in all competitions this term, 25 of which have come in the Premier League. He also scored his first goal for the club during last month’s 2-0 victory over Sheffield United while also boasting two assists to his name.
In terms of statistics, Onyeka is enjoying his most productive spell since joining Brentford, with his tireless performances in the middle of the park setting him apart. When Brentford faced Manchester City in February, Onyeka had the most interceptions, most tackles, most blocks and most shots despite the Bees suffering a 1-0 defeat to Pep Guardiola’s side.
Frank Onyeka ranks above Rice, others in true interceptions
Overall in the Premier League too, he is among the highest-ranked players for interceptions. The latest statistics from The Athletic puts the Nigerian in the top three for true interceptions (an aggregate of interceptions and blocked passes) per 1,000 opposition touches in the English topflight this season.
The former Midtjylland enforcer is, therefore, ranked ahead of several highly-rated midfielders in the Premier League, including Declan Rice, Kai Havertz, Bruno Guimaraes, Douglas Luiz, Lewis Miley and Amadou Onana.
Frank Onyeka is tied with Wolverhampton Wanderers’ Joao Gomes on 3.8 true interceptions per 1,000 opposition touches, with the pair only behind the former’s Brentford teammate Christian Norgaard and Liverpool’s Alexis Mac Allister.
Mac Allister tops the list with 6 true interceptions per 1,000 opposition touches, while Norgaard is second with 4.9. Onyeka and Gomes are joint-third, with Arsenal’s £105 million signing Rice in fourth with 3.7 true interceptions.
The fifth position is jointly occupied by Liverpool midfielder Wataru Endo (3.6) and Newcastle United’s Joelinton (3.6), Havertz and Aston Villa’s Boubakar Kamara take sixth place (3.5), while Everton duo James Garner (3.4) and Iddrisa Gana Gueye (3.3), Newcastle’s Guimaraes (3.3), Brentford’s Mathias Jensen (3.2) and Miley (3) make up the top 10 in that order.
Reduced role at Brentford in recent weeks
Frank Onyeka’s impressive displays at club level seemed to benefit the Nigeria national team during the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON 2024) in the Ivory Coast, where the midfielder started all seven matches as the Super Eagles secured a runners-up medal.
Since returning to Brentford, however, Onyeka’s playing time has significantly reduced. The last time the Nigeria midfielder started a Premier League game was on March 16 when the Bees were beaten 2-1 by Burnley at Turk Moor. He has since made three substitute appearances while not playing any part in the club’s last two matches against Luton Town and Everton.
Brentford boss Frank’s go-to midfield pairing has often been Christian Noorgard, Mathias Jensen and Vitaly Janelt in the last few weeks, with Onyeka’s position in the starting line-up not certain at the moment. Onyeka was linked with a move away from Brentford during the January transfer window and his surprising lack of game time in recent weeks could see such rumours resurface in the summer.
According to The Guardian, the Bees value the midfielder £20 million, with Everton and Fulham reportedly among the clubs who are interested in signing him. The player is also understood to be keen on regular first-team football and will consider his options in the summer if his current situation at Brentford doesn’t change.
