Chelsea and Manchester United have expressed interest in signing highly rated Malian midfielder Mamadou Sangare from Lens next summer, according to Tuttojuve.
The combative midfielder, valued at £26m by Transfermarkt, is a product of the renowned Red Bull scouting network. He was discovered by Salzburg while on the books of Malian Première Division side Yeelen Olympique before sealing a move to the Austrian giants in 2020.
However, first-team opportunities became difficult to come by as he went on loan moves to Liefering, Grazer AK 1902, Zulte Waregem, and TSV Hartberg before securing a permanent move to Rapid Vienna in the summer of 2024.
It was with Vienna that the youngster really made his mark, featuring in 50 games for the 32-time Austrian champions, which caught Lens’ attention.
The Ligue 1 outfit signed Sangare last summer, and he has wasted no time settling, playing in 33 games across all competitions for Pierre Sage’s side.
At the African Cup of Nations, he featured in all five matches for Mali, where his defensive qualities and relentless work ethic were on full display.
Now, according to Tuttojuve, Sangaré’s performances have put him on the radar of several top European clubs, with Lens bracing up for offers in the summer.
Among the clubs eyeing a move for the midfielder, the report adds that Chelsea and Man Utd have expressed interest in a summer swoop for the 23-year-old.
Prospect
While Lens would like to retain the Malian at the Stade Bollaert-Delelis beyond this summer, the club have not ruled out his departure, especially with interest from the Premier League duo, the Italian outlet adds.
United, under INEOS, has shifted its recruitment strategy toward securing emerging talent, with Jason Wilcox and Christopher Vivell playing a key role in this shift.
Under this revamped structure, United have already brought in several promising youngsters—Harley Emsden-James, Enzo Kana-Biyik, and Diego Leon.
Chelsea, on the other hand, have built a clear youth-focused recruitment model aimed at securing the brightest emerging talents. In recent windows, they’ve brought in the likes of Kendry Paez, Aaron Anselmino, Geovany Quenda, etc.
Estevao Willian and Andrey Santos are currently part of the first team, and they remain determined to make further youth-focused recruitments.
Sangare, despite being 23, is still considered an exciting prospect and would be a key addition to either squad, so it’ll be interesting to see who wins the race for his signature.
