Brentford have confirmed the signing of Mali midfielder Mamadou Sangare from Lens for a club record fee. The 24-year-old joins on a five-year contract, with an option for a further year. The fee surpasses the £42.5m paid to sign Dango Ouattara from Bournemouth last summer.

"Mamadou is someone that we've tracked for quite some time," said Brentford head coach Keith Andrews. "He performed at such a consistently high level for a team that finished second in the league." Sangare made 33 appearances for Lens last season after joining from Rapid Vienna, and has 16 caps for Mali, including playing at the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations.

Andrews added that Sangare fits everything the club wants from a Brentford player, on and off the pitch, and predicted he would become very popular with the fans.