Jota: 'Brentford over Mark Warburton exit'

Brentford winger Jota has insisted that the club are focused and completely over the news that manager Mark Warburton is leaving at the end of the season.

The Bees' push for promotion was rocked last month when it was agreed that Warburton and the club would part ways no matter what happened this season because of a difference of opinions on how to run the club.

Owner Matthew Benham wants to adopt a head coach and football director model from next season, and Warburton is not willing to lose control over transfers.

Brentford lost two games in a row once the rumours of Warburton's exit emerged, but since then have suffered defeat just twice in eight games to sit a point outside the Championship playoffs with seven matches of the campaign remaining.

"For a week or so we dropped our levels," 23-year-old Jota told the Mail on Sunday. "You hear rumours... you don't know what's going to happen. It was a short period of confusion but we're now focused.

"We're all still united but it's never the best thing for something like that to happen in the middle of the season."

Jota joined Brentford from Celta Vigo last summer and has gone to score eight goals in 37 appearances for the West London side.