Brentford are closing in on a deal to sign Lens midfielder Mamadou Sangare as a replacement for Jordan Henderson.
Standard Sport understands the Bees are advancing in talks to sign the Mali midfielder and growing in confidence that a move can happen.
It is understood he would cost around €45million (£38.5m), which could make him Brentford’s record signing just ahead of Dango Ouattara if a deal were completed.
Talks with Sangare are the most advanced, but Brentford have other central midfield targets in case of a move facing a stumbling block. The player has four years left on his contract.
England international Henderson has mutually terminated his contract and Standard Sport reported on Wednesday his deal to join Chelsea on a two-year contract as a free agent was completed. The former Liverpool star will join the Blues as they look to add experience to what in recent seasons has become one of the Premier League’s youngest squads.
Sangare has also attracted ongoing interest from Crystal Palace this summer, whose new head coach Pierre Sage worked with him at Lens last season. The pair won the Coupe De France together, beating Nice 3-1 in the final to deliver Lens its first piece of silverware since winning Ligue 2 in 2009.
Sangare, 24, was born in Mali and already has 16 caps to his name, making five appearances at the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations as Les Aigles exited in the quarter-finals.
He made his senior debut at Red Bull Salzburg, serving various loans in Austria and Belgium before signing with Rapid Wien. He moved to Lens after a single season with Rapid.
Sangare scored three times in 33 appearances last season.
