Mamadou Sangaré: Brentford’s £39m midfielder tipped for bigger things

Mamadou Sangaré has featured in every Brentford game this season following his £39m summer move from Lens, making an immediate impression in his first Premier League campaign.

The 24-year-old Mali midfielder provided an assist against Tottenham on his debut. Now, ahead of Brentford’s trip to Brighton, those who helped shape his career believe there is more to come.

A Guardian profile brings together the views of former Mali manager Tom Saintfiet, childhood coach Bakary Coulibaly and international team-mate Lassana Coulibaly, tracing Sangaré’s progress from Bamako to English football.

Mamadou Sangaré’s £39m move from Lens to Brentford

Sangaré dominated the centre of the pitch on his Brentford debut against Tottenham and provided the assist for Keane Lewis-Potter’s opening goal. He has since featured in every game this season.

Brentford’s last match was a 2-0 win over Nottingham Forest, covered in our Brentford vs Nottingham Forest match report. The club’s results this season are examined alongside the premier league standings in our weekly talking points.

Sports Mole’s predicted Brentford XI for Brighton has Yehor Yarmoliuk replacing Sangaré in midfield. Yarmoliuk is available again after a three-match ban for the red card he received in the 2-1 defeat to Liverpool on 17 October.

The same line-up pairs Yarmoliuk with Vitaly Janelt, with Mathias Jensen in an advanced role. Brentford head coach Keith Andrews is without Kaye Furo, Fabio Carvalho, Josh Dasilva and Rico Henry through injury.

Sangaré Brentford transfer fee: £39m from Lens

Brentford signed Sangaré from Lens for a club-record £39m at the start of August. Lens had signed him from Rapid Vienna for around €5m in the summer of 2025.

The two deals were agreed roughly a year apart, with a single season in France between them. Lens won the Coupe de France in that season, and Sangaré played a key role in the run.

Youness Bengelloun, a former Manchester City scout and agent, first saw him at Rapid Vienna’s training ground in July 2025. “When I first saw him, I thought to myself: ‘Who on earth is this player?’” Bengelloun said, laughing, as he recalled meeting what he called a “footballing alien”.

The impression was lasting. “He was impressive and what struck me was his technique and his work rate,” Bengelloun said.

Saintfiet, who managed Mali from 2024 to 2026, believes the progress will continue. “I reckon he can play at an even higher level,” the 53-year-old Belgian said in the Guardian feature. “He won’t stop at Brentford.”

Mamadou Sangaré before Brentford: from Bamako to Lens

Sangaré’s career began at Association Sportive Aboubacar Coulibaly (ASAC), a small club in the Faladié neighbourhood of Bamako, Mali’s capital. He joined at the age of six and, according to his coach there, quickly stood out.

“He lived not far from the ASAC pitch, so he’d come and play every day,” Bakary Coulibaly said. He added that Sangaré played as a right midfielder and “was already technically better than the others”.

The coach also remembers a competitive streak. “What surprised me most about Mamadou was that he always wanted to win,” Coulibaly said, describing a boy who “acted like a leader”.

Sangaré moved from ASAC to Yeelen Olympique and left Mali for Europe in September 2020. He joined RB Salzburg after the Austrian club’s scouts saw video footage of him.

Several loan spells followed before a permanent move to Rapid Vienna in July 2024 and a transfer to Lens the following August. In his one season in France he won the Marc-Vivien Foé award, which recognises the best African player in Ligue 1.

Club	Move
ASAC, Bamako	Joined at the age of six
RB Salzburg	Left Mali for Europe in September 2020
Rapid Vienna	Permanent move in July 2024
Lens	Signed for around €5m in the summer of 2025
Brentford	Club-record £39m at the start of August

Saintfiet gave him his Mali debut in September 2024, against Mozambique. “He made an immediate impact,” he said, calling Sangaré “every manager’s dream player”.

The former manager also points to his habits away from matches. “He controls his time for eating, sleeping, training … some people go to nightclubs to clear their heads, but he lives like a professional 24 hours a day,” Saintfiet said.

Last season Sangaré played in his first Africa Cup of Nations, where Mali reached the quarter-finals. Fellow midfielder Lassana Coulibaly picked out the group match against the Comoros. “In that match he was absolutely incredible,” he said.

Saintfiet singled out the group game against hosts Morocco, when he asked Sangaré to play on the right flank so Mali could field five midfielders. Saintfiet said the player replied: “OK coach, I’ll play wherever you want for the good of the team. I’ll do my best.”

The same manager says the player combines confidence with modesty. “He’s not arrogant; he’s very shy. Very laid-back,” Saintfiet said.

Your questions answered

Where was Mamadou Sangaré before Brentford?

Sangaré spent one season at Lens, where he won the Coupe de France and the Marc-Vivien Foé award for the best African player in Ligue 1. Before that he played for Rapid Vienna, joining permanently in July 2024, and RB Salzburg, which he joined in September 2020 from Mali.

How much did Brentford pay for Mamadou Sangaré?

Brentford signed him from Lens for a club-record £39m at the start of August. Lens had paid around €5m for him in 2025.

Brentford visit Brighton and Hove Albion on Sunday 8 November. Follow more team news, results and reaction through our Premier League news coverage.