How Brentford won the race for Mamadou Sangare amid Champions League pull

Mamadou Sangare shone on his Premier League debut as Brentford beat Tottenham 3-0, with Keith Andrews hailing the recruitment that brought him to west London.

The 24-year-old joined for a club-record £41m after a standout year at Lens and outperformed Spurs debutant Sandro Tonali, a £100m signing. According to Hounslow Herald, Andrews sees him as an all-round midfielder who fits multiple roles and systems.

His numbers underlined it, 51 touches, possession won six times, five duels won, two tackles, two interceptions, two chances created and one assist.

Before kick-off, Andrews outlined how Brentford won the race, crediting Phil Giles, Lee Dykes and their team for building a genuine connection and being upfront about game time. He said many clubs were interested, but once they met Sangare and found a rapport, it became about agreeing figures.

He added that for players who could have stayed for Champions League football elsewhere, choosing purely on finances is not a path he would ever recommend at this stage of a career.

Detailed scouting underpins Brentford’s pitch, with Bryan Mbeumo saying the club watched him 28 times at Troyes, outlined strengths and weaknesses, and ultimately persuaded him despite interest from Rennes.

That model has paid off, from signing Mbeumo for less than £6m in 2019 then selling to Manchester United for £71m, to deals involving David Raya, Ivan Toney and Ollie Watkins. Bigger fees have brought spending power too, with Dango Ouattara arriving for £42m last summer and the record broken again for Sangare.

Source: Hounslow Herald

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