Mamadou Sangare Gets First Mali Call-Up at Brentford — SkimNews
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- Mamadou Sangare joined Brentford for a club-record £39m from Champions League side RC Lens, where he helped the club finish second in Ligue 1 and win the French Cup
- Sangare earned his first Mali call-up in September 2024, telling captain Yves Bissouma he wanted 'Yours' — Bissouma's own position — when asked during his initiation song on a chair
- Mali manager Tom Saintfiet described Sangare as 'more of a No 8 than a No 6,' saying he can also play as a No 10 and combines elite ball recovery with confident, quick passing under pressure
- Ligue 1 named Sangare in its Team of the Year ahead of Joao Neves and Fabian Ruiz, with only two players in the league attempting more shots from outside the box than him last season
- Released by Tottenham this summer, Yves Bissouma remains without a club ahead of Brentford's opening-day fixture against his former side Spurs
- Saintfiet said Brentford is 'not his final destination' for Sangare, who 'can reach the top in England'
Why it matters: Beyond his bold Mali debut, Sangare arrives as Brentford's club-record £39m signing and a Ligue 1 Team of the Year pick ahead of Joao Neves and Fabian Ruiz — with Saintfiet saying Brentford 'is not his final destination' and his former Mali captain Yves Bissouma released by Spurs without a club.
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