Midfield player Dru Yearwood has left Brentford and joined New York Red Bulls for an undisclosed fee. The 20-year-old leaves West London after a year and heads to Major League Soccer. He completed his move to New York, subject to a medical and international clearance, after playing five games for The Bees.

Dru joined Brentford from Southend United at the start of this year-long season. He had been with Southend for almost a decade having come through the youth ranks at the Essex club and turned professional in the summer of 2017 when he was just 17. He made his debut early that season in the EFL Cup and his first league appearance came in September 2017. He played 28 games in all competitions in 2017/18 and a further 33 last season.

Dru made his Brentford debut in the win at Middlesbrough a few days after signing, coming off the substitute’s bench. He made one more Sky Bet Championship appearance – against Birmingham City – and also played in the cup ties against Cambridge United, Stoke City and Leicester City. Injuries, and the performances of others, limited his appearances throughout the season and he is heading to New York with the best wishes of everyone at Brentford FC.

Thomas Frank, Brentford FC Head Coach, said: “We wish Dru all the best as he heads off for this new chapter in his career. There has been really tough competition in our midfield this season and this is an opportunity for him to play games at a great club. Dru has all the attributes needed to enjoy a successful career as a dynamic, box to box, midfielder. Sometimes in football players find their pathways blocked and need a new start; we wish Dru all the best with this great opportunity in New York.”