Manchester United may already have let a dream midfield signing slip through their fingers.
According to The Athletic, Brentford are close to agreeing a deal to sign Lens midfielder Mamadou Sangare.
The 24-year-old enjoyed a sensational breakthrough campaign with Lens, announcing himself as one of Ligue 1’s standout midfielders.
He featured in 29 league matches, contributing three goals and four assists while becoming an indispensable figure in midfield.
Brentford rate him very highly and are ready to pay a club-record fee worth €48 million plus bonuses and a percentage of any future sale.
INEOS should have moved for Sangare
Man United have signed Andrey Santos and Youri Tielemans but they continue searching for one more quality addition.
Elliot Anderson, Sandro Tonali and Mateus Fernandes have joined Premier League rivals.
Alex Scott reportedly favours a move to Chelsea, while Arsenal are pushing hard to sign Bruno Guimaraes from Newcastle United.
Carlos Baleba remains another admired option, but United have yet to make a concrete approach.
In our view, INEOS should have acted decisively for Sangare before Brentford entered the race.
The Mali international is a natural defensive midfielder blessed with outstanding ball-winning instincts and relentless defensive intensity.
Although there is still room for improvement in his passing range, Sangare has already developed into the heartbeat of Lens’ midfield.
He averaged more than six defensive actions and over eight ball recoveries per 90 minutes in Ligue 1.
The midfielder also produced more than three tackles per game while winning 56 per cent of his duels.
After Casemiro’s departure, he could have been an ideal signing for the number six spot.
The step up from Ligue 1 to the Premier League is never straightforward, but Sangare has already shown the attributes needed to adapt quickly.
Brentford could soon complete one of the smartest signings of the summer before the rest of Europe fully appreciates his enormous potential.
Stats from Fotmob.com