Mamadou Sangaré has emerged as a potential target for Chelsea, with the Premier League club reported to be monitoring the RC Lens midfielder in a move rated at a 38% likelihood.
The 23-year-old Malian, listed with a market value of €15.00m, is currently on the books of Lens in Ligue 1 but is now being linked with a switch to England as recruitment plans begin to take shape. Data from Transfermarkt indicates the London side are considering the left-footed central midfielder as an option, although no formal agreement has been recorded and no contract terms have been disclosed.
Sangaré’s situation at Lens is of interest partly because no contract expiry date is listed in the available data, leaving open the theoretical possibility that he could move on freely in future if terms are not clarified. For now, however, any transfer remains speculative rather than imminent.
Born in Bamako on 26 June 2002, Sangaré has taken a long route through European football. After leaving Yeelen Olympique in Mali for Red Bull Salzburg in 2020, he spent successive loan spells at FC Liefering, Grazer AK 1902, Zulte Waregem and TSV Hartberg, gaining experience in Austria and Belgium. A permanent move to Rapid Vienna in 2024 preceded his switch to Lens, where his rising influence has coincided with a sharp climb in market value – from under €1m at Hartberg to €6m at Rapid Vienna and then up to €15m with Lens by December 2025.
Operating primarily as a central midfielder, Sangaré’s profile fits Chelsea’s recent recruitment trend towards younger, developing players with resale potential and experience across several European leagues. If a move were to materialise, it could mark the next step in a rapid ascent for the Malian and offer a new platform to shape his reputation at the highest level.
