Brentford have dismissed reports claiming they plan to sack manager Mark Warburton at the end of the season.
Warburton has enjoyed huge success in just over a year in charge of the unfashionable Bees, guiding them to promotion from League One last term and up to fourth in the Sky Bet Championship.
Yet owner Matthew Benham was said to have been considering a 'change of direction' amid claims he had held talks with Rayo Vallecano's Paco Jemez.
However, Press Association Sport understands Brentford are more concerned about losing their highly-rated boss to a bigger club, rather than planning to axe the 52-year-old.
In a statement on Tuesday morning, Brentford said: "The club is aware of some press speculation about the future of our manager, Mark Warburton.
"Given Mark's increasing profile within the game, we recognise that he will deservedly have turned the heads of other clubs.
"As with every other sensibly run club, we plan for various possible eventualities.
"We are a progressive club who do talk to other people within the game to learn about other ways of doing things, and to consider novel strategic approaches to the game. Those conversations continue internally, and are part of a healthy dialogue.
"Football is sometimes called a village, and in any village, gossip and rumours can spread like wildfire, whether or not such rumours are true.
"It would not be in the club's interests to disclose any of those discussions, but Brentford FC do want to confirm that Mark Warburton remains our manager.
"The team's performance has been magnificent this season and that is primarily down to Mark's leadership. Mark will continue to lead the club in its push for Premier League football.
"At this critical stage of the season, we don't propose to make any further statements in relation to these rumours."
Brentford host promotion rivals Watford at Griffin Park on Tuesday night.
Source: PA
