With the transfer window in full swing in July 2025, the former Manchester City scout and agent was not expecting to come face to face with a “footballing alien”, but that proved the case during a visit to Rapid Vienna’s training ground. A few weeks later, Sangaré moved to Lens for around €5m. That’s more or less the impression Sangaré has made at every club he’s played for, including Brentford, for whom the Mali midfielder signed, from Lens, for a club-record £39m at the start of August.
The 24-year-old excelled in his debut against Tottenham a few weeks later, dominating the centre of the pitch and providing the assist for Keane Lewis-Potter’s opening goal, and has featured in every game this season, with Brighton up next. He made an immediate impact,” says Sangaré’s former international manager Tom Saintfiet. A small club based in the Faladié neighbourhood of Bamako, Mali’s capital, became a home from home at the age of six.
Even then, his strength of character, work ethic and desire to succeed were clear, and immediately impressed his coach at the time, Bakary Coulibaly. He played as a right midfielder and was already technically better than the others. Even then he was very demanding of himself and his teammates and acted like a leader.
When the team was struggling he was always looking for a solution to help us win.” Setting high standards and taking personal responsibility are sides of Sangaré that Saintfiet recognises. Mamadou answered that he wanted his own. I’ll never forget that moment because it shows he had enormous confidence in his own abilities.
But he’s not arrogant; he’s very shy. Very laid-back.” Saintfiet, who managed Mali from 2024 to 2026, adds: “When I think of Mamadou, I think first and foremost of his personality. He’s never nervous, he always stays calm.
He’s always in control of the situation. When he receives the ball surrounded by three players, he’ll keep his cool and he’ll manage to find the pass to get out of it”. Sangaré progressed from ASAC to Yeelen Olympique before leaving Mali for Europe in September 2020, joining RB Salzburg after catching the eye of scouts from the Austrian club via video footage.
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