In a match featuring bigger-name midfielders such as Tonali and Mateus Fernandes, Mamadou Sangaré was the standout player as Brentford beat Tottenham 3-0 in the opening round of the Premier League season.
The Mali midfielder is already showing why Brentford were willing to pay £39 million to sign him from Lens — a fee that could look very good value in the current market.
Sangaré was named in the 2025/26 Ligue 1 Team of the Season, but what stood out was how little adaptation time he seemed to need in England.
From his first appearance, he played with confidence and authority in midfield, looking as though he had been in the Premier League for years.
After his level at Lens and this immediate start with Brentford, one question is becoming reasonable: how did the biggest clubs allow Brentford to win the race?
Brentford may already have secured one of the signings of the season before the wider market fully recognised his value.
