Right up until the finale of the 2025/26 campaign, Keith Andrews' side were in with a chance of qualifying for some continental experience in 2026/27, but ultimately they fell agonisingly short.
Only goal difference stopped Brentford qualifying for Europe
Only three goals separated the West London outfit from Brighton, who ended last season on the same points as the Bees (53).
It's quickly been forgotten that in losing Thomas Frank to Tottenham Hotspur, last season could've turned into a disaster for Brentford, so it's to Andrews and the players' great credit that they were able to compete from first to last.
Studious signings, such as bringing in Jordan Henderson, helped the Bees to continue to cement themselves as a mid-table Premier League side, though it's the 36-year-old's potential switch across West London to Chelsea that has opened up the door for Brentford to make a move for Lens' brilliant 24-year-old defensive midfielder, Mamadou Sangare.
Not for nothing has he been christened in some quarters as 'Ligue 1's Elliot Anderson.'
Sangare a driving force for Lens
He was a driving force and a main reason behind Lens finishing second to Paris Saint-Germain last season, with his 52 tackles won (60.47% success), 121 ball recoveries made in the middle third of the pitch and 207 overall, all the best returns in the French top-flight last season.
That's not to mention he had the third-highest amount of ground duels won in the league (159), and with 34 chances created, he put himself in the top-flight's top 10 in this regard.
Whilst a defensive midfielder by trade, he isn't averse to getting forward as often as play will allow, and his surging runs became a feature of Lens' play throughout the 2025/26 campaign. Arriving late into the box also allowed him to end the campaign with three goals and four assists to his name.
It's clear that the French side will fight tooth and nail to keep hold of one of their most important players, though the mixture of Premier League football for the player, and a €48m deal for the club - a record spend for Brentford - could well tempt Lens to the table.
Deal in principle agreed
Reports already suggest that an agreement in principle is in place, and although transfer deals nowadays are notoriously complex, the first hurdle to any deal appears to have been safely negotiated.
A combative presence was always going to ensure that a yellow card or two weren't far away, though five in all competitions across the entire campaign should really be seen as a positive for Sangare.
43 fouls won were the joint-most in the Lens side, too, which indicates an immaculate sense of timing even in the heat of battle.
Only one other player in the squad attempted more total passes than Sangare's 1,452, with Malang Sarr also completing more than his colleague's 1,252.
Brentford's aspirations seen by the size of Sangare's transfer fee
An 86.23% pass completion from Sangare is an elite-level return when one takes into account the number of passes made, and whilst the physicality of the Premier League may take him a little while to get used to, his numbers suggest that he will quickly become the fulcrum for Brentford, and the conduit through which everything flows.
He might lack the experience that Henderson still possesses, but in all other aspects, fans of the Bees can expect to find a player at the very top of his game, and one who will certainly improve their defensive midfield output.
The sizeable transfer fee also reflects the aspirations of a club that, not too long ago, found itself in the lower tiers of the English football pyramid.
Excellent ownership aligned with a vision and commitment to improve year on year has seen to it that Brentford are now considered to be a stable top-flight outfit who can compete with the best that English football has to offer.
The potential signing of Sangare is likely to be a game-changer for the club, and if they can continue their upward trajectory under Andrews, anything is possible.
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Jason Pettigrove has been the features writer for Flashscore since 2025, utilising Opta data to form the basis of his articles. He has previously worked for high profile football clubs, news and media outlets, both in print and digital, and can usually be found watching FC Barcelona when time permits. You can read more of his pieces here.
