Mamadou Sangaré is officially revealed as a Brentford player, and there's every reason to be excited about his role in a highly anticipated season for the club.
Despite another highly impressive season and yet another strong push for Europe from Brentford last campaign, the business end of the season highlighted one true downfall, which, ultimately among fans, is the reason why the elusive goal of achieving European qualification wasn't achieved. The problem? A clear lack of bite and quality in midfield following a devastating and truly damaging metatarsal injury to Vitaly Janelt, which put the German in the peak of his Brentford form on the sideline from February until the close of the season.
The depth just wasn't there, and it proved costly. An emphatic season was, once again for Brentford, unrewarded. The recent departure of Jordan Henderson compounded midfield dilemmas. Record signing Mamadou Sangaré is the answer. The type of player Brentford have been crying out for, for what seems like an eternity.
For a club known for making astute, under-the-radar signings, it is quite an event to see Brentford forking out upwards of £40m for a player recognised as one of the best in his trade in one of Europe's elite leagues. Sangaré more than impressed in his debut season at Lens. Known for his ability to break up play when called upon (most tackles and interceptions in the whole of Ligue 1 last season), he will also be a key player for Brentford in bringing the ball up the pitch, with an impressive knack of getting out of tight spaces under pressure.
All the hallmarks of an elite player, with a future at Brentford that knows no bounds. Highly regarded by other clubs in the Premier League such as Crystal Palace and Manchester United, this is the marquee signing that Brentford have been looking for. As a club that has endured their fair share of transfer window heartache, it is refreshing to see Brentford beat off competition to secure the signature of a highly-regarded, Champions League-standard signing.
Sangaré's raw, undeniable talent is something to be incredibly excited about as a Brentford fan. Slotting into a defensive midfield duo alongside Yehor Yarmoliuk and behind the ever-creative Mikkel Damsgaard makes this signing worth all the hype it is getting. At Brentford, it is all about fitting into the Matthew Benham jigsaw puzzle. This feels like the perfect piece that the club have been looking for. If the powerful midfield weaponry Brentford now have at their disposal following Sangaré's arrival are firing in tandem, there is no reason why this team can't reach new heights and become the new history makers that us fans have been aching for.
Questions will, of course, be asked about whether or not Sangaré can adapt to the Premier League and waste no time in helping Brentford to the next level. Only time will tell. As a player who has played amongst Europe's elite in the Champions League, there is no evidence to suggest he will be a slow starter.
This is a hugely impressive signing and one that truly feels like the first statement signing since promotion to the Premier League. Exciting times to come.
