Josh Dasilva says he is determined to repay the faith Brentford showed in him during the toughest period of his career as he takes part in his first full pre-season in three years.

The midfielder returned to action towards the end of last season after a lengthy spell on the sidelines and is now relishing the opportunity to lay the foundations for the 2026/27 Premier League campaign alongside his team-mates in Portugal.

The Bees handed Dasilva a new contract while he was recovering from a serious knee injury - a gesture that meant a great deal to the 27-year-old.

"I don't think many clubs would have done that in my situation," he began.

"I don't live in the past, so for Brentford to still see a future with me is amazing. I haven't done anything for so long.

"I know how much I've contributed to the club. People tell me that, and it's great, but that's in the past.

"The club has grown so much while I've been here. I think they've seen how hard I've worked, how I've changed as a character and matured. That plays a part as well."

Dasilva admits there were moments during his rehabilitation when the road back felt especially challenging.

"I believe in myself, but when I was having setback after setback - when my knee was hurting and I was struggling to get stronger - I was thinking, ‘How am I going to do this?’"

Throughout that journey, however, he says the unwavering support from everyone at the club helped him keep believing.

"They've been so calm about the situation," he explained. "There were some days I thought, 'I don't deserve to be here right now,' but Matthew [Benham], Phil [Giles] and Lee [Dykes] have always backed me. I've got a lot of love for them.

"And if it wasn't for the players, I don't know if I would still love football. I still love it because of them. I regard them as friends.

"I'm a Brentford fan. The joy they've given me, watching them week in, week out, has been unbelievable.

"Credit to everyone from top to bottom."

Now back on the training pitch and building his fitness, Dasilva is enjoying every step of his return.

"I'm in a good place," he said.

"There's a balance. It's more of a mental thing for me, knowing when to push whilst remembering that I've been out for two years. The body needs an adaptation period.

"Because of my experience with injuries, I'm quite level-headed with it. The communication from the staff has been top.

"I'm out there, I'm training and I'm doing numbers I haven't done in years. I'm enjoying the process.

"The most important thing for me is staying fit.

"The other day [against AFC Wimbledon] was my first start in two and a half years. How can I not be happy? Now it's time to build."

Having worked his way back to fitness, Dasilva is determined to repay the faith shown in him.

"I'm not naïve - I don't think I'm going to start every game next season - but I want to help as much as I can," he said.

"I'll be striving. I'll be pushing the boys, on and off the pitch, to grow and to get better. That's what I want for myself and that's what I want for the team.

"We've got a good team - we just missed out on Europe. Whether I'm playing week in, week out or I'm on the bench, I'm going to keep pushing. I'm going to give the best version of myself every day I get on that pitch.

"If somebody is starting ahead of me, they must be doing well."