Josh Dasilva:  Profile

Who Is Josh Dasilva?

Josh Dasilva is one of the more unusual stories in Premier League football. His full name is Pelenda Joshua Tunga Dasilva, and he was born on October 23, 1998, in Ilford, East London. He is an English midfielder with Angolan heritage who spent twelve years in Arsenal's Hale End academy before joining Brentford in 2018. His career at Brentford has been everything and nothing at the same time: brilliant when fit, devastating when not.

At his best, he was a genuine Premier League midfielder with the technique and intelligence to play in Thomas Frank's system with real quality. He was coached by Thierry Henry at Arsenal's under-18 level, which tells you something about the company he was keeping during his development. He was part of the England Under-19 squad that won the 2017 UEFA European Under-19 Championship. He scored a hat-trick for Brentford in a 7-0 win over Luton in November 2019. He contributed to Brentford's historic promotion to the Premier League in 2021.

And then injuries took over. A hip injury in 2021. A hamstring in 2022. And then, in February 2024, the kind of injury that changes a career trajectory in a single moment: simultaneous damage to his ACL, MCL, and meniscus in the same right knee. He required three surgeries. He missed the entire 2024/25 season. Even after his contract expired, Brentford kept him at the club to continue his rehabilitation. In October 2025, on his 27th birthday, he signed a new one-year deal. As of February 2026, he was back in modified training with the first-team squad.

His story is still being written.

Josh Dasilva Net Worth and Salary in 2026

Josh Dasilva's financial situation is complicated by the extended period he has spent injured. Icon Polls estimates his net worth in 2026 is between $10 million and $15 million, reflecting the cumulative earnings from his Arsenal years, his multiple Brentford contracts including a four-year deal signed in 2020, and the Premier League salaries he has drawn throughout his time at the club.

His current weekly salary is estimated at approximately GBP 27,000 to GBP 30,000 per week, based on available salary tracking data. Given that he has spent the majority of recent seasons injured and is now on a short one-year deal, his salary is modest compared to what it was at the peak of his Brentford involvement. His contract runs until June 30, 2026, with a club option for a further year.

The honest reality is that his net worth has been partially built on the back of contracts he signed before his injury run began. The four-year deal he signed in October 2020 would have been significantly more valuable than the rehabilitation-focused one-year deal he signed on his birthday in October 2025. The financial picture going forward will depend almost entirely on whether he can return to consistent Premier League availability.

His market value at the moment reflects his injury history and is much lower than his peak, but if he returns to fitness and performs at the level he showed in his best Brentford seasons, the financial situation could change rapidly. Both Brentford and Dasilva know that, which is why the club kept supporting his rehabilitation even when his contract had expired.

Josh Dasilva Injury

No section of any Josh Dasilva article can pass over his injury record lightly. It is the defining narrative of his career and the thing that has prevented him from fulfilling the potential that everyone around him always recognised.

The most serious injury came in February 2024. During training, he suffered simultaneous damage to his anterior cruciate ligament, medial collateral ligament, and meniscus in his right knee. Three structures in the same joint at the same time. He underwent surgery, and then another, and then a third. He missed the entire 2024/25 season, every single match, while going through a rehabilitation process that would have tested anyone's mental strength.

His injury history before that was already significant. A hip injury in February 2021 ended his season at Brentford, and he missed the Championship play-off final in which Brentford won promotion to the Premier League. He was then left off the initial 25-man Premier League squad because of his fitness situation. He returned in early 2022, was sent off on his fourth league appearance, then suffered a hamstring injury. In subsequent seasons he dealt with various physical issues that interrupted his run of games.

The February 2024 knee injury was different in scale. Three surgeries in the space of a year is a brutal thing for any footballer's body to go through. Brentford's decision to keep him at the club during his rehabilitation even after his contract expired in June 2025 was significant. It showed a level of loyalty and belief in him that goes beyond the standard commercial calculation.

By November 2025, he had returned to grass training. By February 2026, he was doing modified training with the first-team squad. The hope is that the 2025/26 season closes with him making competitive appearances, which would represent an extraordinary comeback from one of the worst runs of injury misfortune in the Premier League in recent years.

Josh Dasilva Brother

Josh Dasilva is one of five children, with two brothers and two sisters. He grew up in Ilford, East London, in a family of Angolan descent. The specific names of his siblings are not widely reported in public sources, though his Brentford player profile notes that he has two brothers and two sisters.

What is documented is that the family environment he grew up in, with Angolan cultural roots in East London, helped shape his footballing ambitions. Ilford and the surrounding areas of East London have produced a number of professional footballers over the years, and the environment of urban South-East and East London, with its competitive street and academy football culture, is a known breeding ground for athletic talent.

Josh has spoken about Zinedine Zidane as his main footballing idol growing up and about being brought up as a Manchester United fan, which reflects the football conversations that were happening in his household and school environment. The combination of those influences and his family's Angolan heritage, which connects him to a country with a proud football tradition, clearly shaped the kind of player and person he became.

His eligibility to represent Angola at international level, through his family's Angolan heritage, is a dimension of his career that has surfaced at various points. In February 2020 he stated publicly that he would be open to playing for Angola. In May 2023, he was reportedly contacted by DR Congo as well, adding another possible international direction. As of early 2026, he has not committed to any international senior team, and his focus remains entirely on recovering from his knee injuries and returning to Brentford's first team.

Josh Dasilva Career Timeline

2006: Joined Arsenal's Hale End Academy at age eight

2015: Signed first professional contract with Arsenal

2017: Part of England Under-19 squad that won the UEFA European Under-19 Championship

2018: Rejected new Arsenal contract and joined Brentford on a free transfer

November 2019: Scored a hat-trick in a 7-0 Brentford win over Luton Town

2020: New four-year contract at Brentford

February 2021: Hip injury ended his season before Brentford's promotion final

2021/22: Returned to the Premier League with Brentford

2022/23: Strong season back in the Premier League contributing goals and assists

February 2024: Simultaneous ACL, MCL and meniscus injury in right knee

2024/25: Entire season missed through three knee surgeries

October 23, 2025: Signed a new one-year contract with Brentford on his 27th birthday

November 2025: Returned to grass training at Brentford

February 2026: Back in modified training with the first-team squad

Josh Dasilva Career Honours

UEFA European Under-19 Championship winner 2017 with England Under-19

EFL Championship promotion via play-off final 2020/21 with Brentford (vs Swansea City)

EFL Championship runner-up 2019/20 with Brentford (lost play-off final to Fulham)

Frequently Asked Questions About Josh Dasilva (2026)

1. What is Josh Dasilva's net worth in 2026?

Icon Polls estimates his net worth is between $10 million and $15 million in 2026. This reflects his cumulative earnings from twelve years in the Arsenal academy, multiple contracts at Brentford including a four-year deal signed in 2020, and his Premier League salary across several seasons.

2. How much does Josh Dasilva earn at Brentford?

His estimated weekly salary is approximately GBP 27,000 to GBP 30,000 gross per week based on available salary data. His current contract, signed on his 27th birthday in October 2025, runs until June 30, 2026, with a club option for one more year.

3. What is Josh Dasilva's injury in 2026?

He is recovering from a catastrophic knee injury suffered in February 2024 that damaged his ACL, MCL, and meniscus simultaneously in his right knee. He required three surgeries across 2024 and missed the entire 2024/25 season. He returned to grass training in November 2025 and was doing modified training with the first-team squad by February 2026.

4. Does Josh Dasilva have a brother?

Yes. He is one of five children with two brothers and two sisters. He grew up in Ilford, East London, in a family of Angolan descent. The specific names of his siblings have not been widely publicised.

5. What nationality is Josh Dasilva?

He is English and was born in Ilford, East London. He also holds Angolan citizenship through his family's Angolan heritage. He has represented England at Under-19, Under-20, and Under-21 level. He has publicly stated openness to representing Angola internationally, though no senior international commitment has been made.

6. Where was Josh Dasilva born?

He was born on October 23, 1998, in Ilford, East London, England. He is of Angolan descent through his parents, who are originally from Angola.

7. What is Josh Dasilva's full name?

His full registered name is Pelenda Joshua Tunga Dasilva. He is widely known as Josh Dasilva in his professional career.

8. Did Josh Dasilva play for Arsenal?

He never played a competitive first-team match for Arsenal but spent twelve years in their Hale End academy from the age of eight. He was an unused substitute in the senior squad on a handful of occasions and made three EFL Cup appearances in his final season. He was coached in the under-18 setup by Thierry Henry. He rejected a new contract in 2018 and joined Brentford on a free transfer.

9. What position does Josh Dasilva play?

He plays as a central midfielder or box-to-box midfielder. He started his Arsenal career as a left winger, moved to striker, and eventually settled into midfield under Thierry Henry's guidance. At Brentford, he has been used in various midfield roles and also occasionally at left-back when needed.

10. How tall is Josh Dasilva?

He stands at approximately 1.84 metres, around 6 feet tall. He weighs around 75 to 79 kilograms and has an athletic build well suited to the physical demands of central midfield in the Premier League.

11. Has Josh Dasilva won any trophies?

He won the UEFA European Under-19 Championship with England Under-19 in 2017, making three appearances in the tournament including the final win over Portugal. At club level, he was part of the Brentford squad that achieved promotion to the Premier League via the Championship play-off final in 2021, though he missed that specific match through injury.

12. Why did Josh Dasilva leave Arsenal?

He left Arsenal in June 2018 after rejecting a new contract offer. Despite being an unused substitute for the first team on two occasions and making three EFL Cup appearances, he felt he needed regular first-team football to develop his career. He chose Brentford's Championship squad over a longer association with Arsenal's development setup.

13. What is Josh Dasilva's hat-trick?

He scored his first career hat-trick for Brentford on November 30, 2019, in a 7-0 Championship win over Luton Town. It was a remarkable performance that earned him a nomination for the EFL Championship Player of the Month award for November 2019 and cemented his status as one of the most exciting young midfielders in the Championship that season.

14. What is Josh Dasilva's connection to Angola?

His parents are originally from Angola, giving him dual English and Angolan citizenship. He has spoken publicly about being open to representing Angola at international level. In May 2023, he was also reportedly contacted by DR Congo, adding another possible international allegiance. As of 2026, no senior international commitment has been confirmed for any nation.

15. Why did Brentford keep Josh Dasilva after his contract expired?

His original contract expired in June 2025, but Brentford allowed him to continue his rehabilitation with the club on a non-playing basis even after the contract lapsed. They signed him to a new one-year deal on October 23, 2025, his 27th birthday, reflecting the club's genuine belief in his ability to return to Premier League quality and their loyalty to a player who had given significant service across five-plus seasons.

16. Who coached Josh Dasilva at Arsenal?

During his time in Arsenal's Under-18 academy, he was coached by Thierry Henry, the former Arsenal legend. Dasilva credits Henry with helping him make the transition from a forward role into midfield, which proved to be the position that suited his strengths best. He also worked under Kwame Ampadu in the Arsenal youth setup.

17. How many surgeries has Josh Dasilva had on his knee?

Following the February 2024 injury that simultaneously damaged his ACL, MCL, and meniscus, he underwent three separate surgeries over the course of 2024 and into early 2025. This extensive surgical process was the reason he missed the entire 2024/25 season and required such a long rehabilitation timeline.

18. What was Josh Dasilva's role in Brentford's Premier League promotion?

He was an important part of the Brentford squad across the 2020/21 Championship season that led to their promotion. He made 35 appearances and scored seven goals that season before a hip injury ended his campaign in February 2021, causing him to miss the Championship play-off final against Swansea City which Brentford won 2-0 to gain promotion.

19. What is Josh Dasilva's playing style?

He is a box-to-box central midfielder known for his technical quality, energy, and ability to score goals from midfield. He is left-footed, which gives him a distinctive approach when driving forward or striking from distance. He is capable of playing in multiple positions across the midfield and wide areas, making him a versatile option for any manager.

20. What happened to Josh Dasilva in the 2024/25 season?

He missed the entire 2024/25 season following his catastrophic knee injury of February 2024. His original Brentford contract expired in June 2025 but the club kept him on to continue his rehabilitation. He returned to grass training in November 2025 and was doing modified training with the first-team squad by February 2026. He signed a new one-year deal on his birthday in October 2025.

Josh Dasilva's football story is a difficult one to tell without acknowledging how unfair it has been. He is 27 years old, had everything needed to be a reliable Premier League midfielder, and then spent the better part of two years in hospitals, on crutches, and in rehabilitation sessions, going through injury after injury with the kind of resilience that most people never have to find.

His net worth between $10 million and $15 million reflects a career that has generated real income across a decade in professional football. But the numbers matter less than the question of whether he can get back on a Premier League pitch and show what he was capable of before February 2024 took everything away.

Brentford kept him when they did not have to. They signed him a new deal on his birthday. That tells you something. Icon Polls will continue tracking Josh Dasilva's recovery, his return to competitive football, and the final chapters of a career that deserves a proper ending.