Brentford sign Mali midfielder Sangare in club record deal
Brentford signed Mali midfielder Mamadou Sangare from Lens in a club-record deal worth a reported £39 million ($52 million).
Sangare agreed a five-year contract with the Premier League side, including a club option for a further year.
The 24-year-old helped Lens finish second in Ligue 1 and win the Coupe de France last season.
"He fits everything we want from a Brentford player, on and off the pitch. He'll be a player that I think will become very, very popular with the fans," Brentford manager Keith Andrews said.
"Last season was a huge season for him following a couple of loan spells during which he developed.
"At Lens, he performed at such a consistently high level for a team that finished second in the league.
"Added to that was his form for Mali, where he became a really key player for them."
Brentford's England international Jordan Henderson looks set to join Chelsea and Sangare will fill the void in midfield.
Sangare, who has won 16 caps with Mali, joined Lens from Rapid Vienna last year and made 29 appearances in the French top tier.
