Brentford have refused to confirm whether boss Mark Warburton will be in the hot seat beyond the end of this season.

Newspaper reports have suggested the 52-year-old will be moved on at the end of the current campaign whether or not the Bees secure promotion to the Premier League.

Brentford chairman Cliff Crown is reported to have been in Spain last week to sound out Rayo Vallecano coach Paco Jemez over the possibility of taking charge at Griffin Park next term.

Warburton, currently on a 12 month rolling contract since taking over from Uwe Rosler, won promotion to the Championship last season and the Bees are currently fourth in the second tier of English football.

The club has stopped short of denying any truth in reports the manager will be on his way in May.

But it has insisted any conversations with other people in the game are part and parcel of preparing for the time the manager moves on of his own accord.

"Given Mark’s increasing profile within the game, we recognise that he will deservedly have turned the heads of other clubs," said a statement on the club's website.

"As with every other sensibly run clubs, 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 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."

Brentford host play-off rivals Watford tonight looking to avenge a 2-1 defeat at Vicarage Road earlier in the season.