Championship clubs are on alert as Emiliano Marcondes admits he remains in the dark about his Brentford future - even after a man of the match display in the play-off final.
The 26-year-old midfielder scored in a 2-0 Wembley win over Swansea but is out of contract next month and admits he is not sure he'll make the trip up to the Premier League.
Clubs have been circling his name as a potential free agent this summer for a while and Nottingham Forest, Queens Park Rangers and Norwich were all linked with interest earlier this season.
He told the Daily Mail: "I have been hoping and waiting for a new contract for a long time. But I have kept my concentration on the training and on the pitch, and to focus on what I can control.
"I can't control a new contract. Of course, I hope to play Premier League, it's my biggest dream. To come from a small town in Denmark and reach the Premier League would be unbelievable."
Marcondes joined Brentford in 2018 from FC Nordsjaelland and has made just shy of 100 appearances, mostly from the bench, scoring seven times.
He has had to overcome injury at times and manager Thomas Frank said at Wembley: “Emiliano deserves a lot of praise. He’s been remarkable and coming back from injuries and I was never in doubt that I wanted to play him in the final.
“He can turn up in these games and he has a fantastic mindset. I’ve known him since he was 15 in Denmark. I admire him a lot.
“The journey the club has been on has been absolutely remarkable, especially after the work of (owner) Matthew Benham. It’s an unbelievable achievement for us.
Would Marcondes be a good signing for Forest? Have your say in the comments section below
“It is an unbelievable feeling – to be a part of something this special I am really humble about it, but all the players and staff played a part.
“You can’t do it alone and this is one of the biggest strengths at Brentford. I have really walked the hard way in coaching since I was 20 and I hope I can inspire others out there to be better coaches and people.”
