Mamadou Sangare: Brentford eye move for Mali and Lens midfielder in potential €40m deal

Mali midfielder Mamadou Sangare of Lens is being monitored by Brentford as the Premier League club weigh up a move for the 24-year-old central midfielder this summer.

Sangare, who joined Lens from Rapid Vienna in August 2025 for €8m, is understood to be on Brentford’s shortlist as they look to reinforce their midfield options ahead of the new campaign. The player is currently valued at around €40m and is under contract with the Ligue 1 side until June 2030, meaning any deal is likely to require a significant fee to persuade Lens to sell.

Since arriving in France, Sangare has become a regular in Lens’s midfield, making 29 Ligue 1 appearances and contributing three goals and four assists, as well as helping the club win the French Cup in the 2025-26 season. His performances have attracted interest from abroad, with Brentford among the clubs exploring whether Lens would be open to negotiations.

The Bamako-born left-footer has also built up experience in Austria and Belgium earlier in his career, including spells in the Bundesliga and second tier, before his rapid rise in France saw his market value climb sharply to its current career high.

Lens, who signed Sangare on a long-term deal shortly after his breakthrough season in Austria, are under no immediate pressure to sell given the length of his contract and his status in the squad. As it stands, Sangare remains tied to the club until 2030 and any transfer talks are at a preliminary stage.