Thomas Frank sees Ollie Watkins as Brentford’s first choice striker this season.

The 22-year-old has started all three of the Bees’ league fixtures this season as the central figure of an attacking three.

Brentford tried and failed to bring in a forward late in the transfer window to fill the void left by last season’s top scorer Neil Maupay who left in a £20million move to Brighton, forcing Frank to use Watkins in a more advanced role.

The move has been as a success with Watkins netting two goals in as many games since shifting to centre forward, a positional shift Frank believes will be permanent.

“Ollie is our number nine now,” Frank said after his side’s 1-1 draw with Hull City.

“He showed that second half especially, I think he scored a fantastic strike, you can’t score a more beautiful strike, he’s running in between the two centre backs, where we want him coming in.

“Yes it got a deflection but that’s where we need a striker.

“There are things Ollie needs to learn, as a striker or as a number ten, but the two goals he’s scored show he has that striker instinct in him.”

Watkins wasn’t the only player Frank pulled out for some praise as he run the rule over three of his new signings.

“This was the first game for Christian (Norgaard), there’ll be more to come for him, Mathias (Jensen) was ok, but there’s more to come from him, then there’s Bryan (Mbeumo) who impressed me, but again there’s much more to come from him.

“You can just see when you speak to him, you can see in his eyes he’s aware, such a bright footballer and person so I’m not in doubt he will be very good for us.

“But he needs to learn, he’ll have higher highs and a few lows, especially when your new to this league, but no matter what he’ll be a positive player for us.”