"Igor Thiago has been discussed, somebody that's Premier League ready," Ben Jacobs told The United Stand. "Nothing more than that at this stage, more of an internal conversation and a normal player call to understand his situation.
"Getting him out this summer will be incredibly difficult."
Manchester United have made contact with the Brazilian's camp, but talks remain at an early stage, and Brentford — having handed Thiago a new long-term contract earlier this year — are under no pressure to negotiate.
The 25-year-old's numbers make the interest easy to understand: 22 goals in 38 Premier League appearances last season, only five behind Manchester City's Erling Haaland in the race for the golden boot, with a combined tally of 25 goals and an assist in 40 games across all competitions.
That form earned him a place in Carlo Ancelotti's Brazil squad at this summer's World Cup. Signing him would give United a proven finisher to push Benjamin Sesko, who managed 12 goals and one assist in 32 appearances during his debut season at Old Trafford — a solid if unspectacular return by comparison.
United's business so far this summer has already brought in midfielders Andrey Santos and Youri Tielemans, but with a demanding campaign combining Premier League and European commitments ahead, attacking depth remains a live issue for Carrick as he shapes the squad.
Any move for Thiago would likely require Brentford to be presented with an offer well beyond what they paid for him following his rise from spells in Bulgaria and Belgium, given how quickly he has established himself as one of the Premier League's most productive forwards.
Thiago's journey to England was unconventional even by modern standards, progressing through Ludogorets Razgrad's system in Bulgaria before a move to Club Brugge and then Brentford, where he has scored regularly since arriving. Chelsea have also been credited with interest in the Brazilian previously, though it is United's need for competition in the number nine role, rather than a straightforward replacement, that appears to be driving the latest links.