Brentford sign Mali midfielder Mamadou Sangare for club-record £52m fee

Brentford have signed 24-year-old Mali midfielder Mamadou Sangare from French club Lens for a club-record fee of $52m.

Sangare has agreed a five-year contract with the Premier League club, with Brentford holding an option to extend the deal by a further season. The transfer is the most expensive in Brentford’s history and comes as the club strengthens its squad ahead of the new campaign.

The midfielder arrives after an outstanding season with Lens, during which he helped the club finish second in Ligue 1 and win the Coupe de France for the first time.

Sangare made 33 appearances in all competitions last season, scoring three goals and providing three assists. His performances also earned him the award for the best African player in Ligue 1, while he was selected in the competition’s team of the season.

Brentford manager Keith Andrews said the club had monitored Sangare for an extended period before completing the deal.

“We have followed the player for a long time, and we were keen to sign him,” Andrews said in a statement published on Brentford’s official website.

“Sangare had a wonderful season with Lens and proved his quality at a high level.”

Andrews added: “He will add a lot to our midfield and possesses different qualities from what we currently have.”

He concluded: “He is a humble player with a great desire to succeed, and he fits perfectly with what we are looking for on and off the pitch.”

Sangare is regarded as one of the most promising young midfielders in the game. Before joining Lens, he played in Austria and Belgium, building experience in European football before making his mark in France.

He has also won 16 international caps for Mali. Sangare represented his country at the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations and helped Mali reach the quarter-finals of the tournament.

The agreement represents a significant investment by Brentford as they prepare for the start of the new season. Sangare’s versatility and ability to contribute both creatively and defensively are expected to strengthen the club’s midfield options.

His arrival also marks a new record for Brentford, surpassing every previous transfer fee paid by the club since its foundation. The deal underlines the importance attached to adding quality to the squad after Sangare’s impressive campaign with Lens.

Brentford are now counting on the Mali international to reproduce the form that saw him recognised among Ligue 1’s leading African players and included in the division’s best XI.