Man Utd miss out on midfield monster: Red Devils say no to future €100m star

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Robin Bairner | Chief Editor

Accredited football journalist and editor covering the game since 2006

Manchester United’s transfer progress this summer has been frustratingly slow, with their hunt for another central midfielder, in particular, proving to be a long and drawn-out process.

Sure, the fast start that Andrey Santos has made certainly offers encouragement to Michael Carrick, but the Red Devils were short in the centre of the park last season and have not bolstered their squad numerically since.

Casemiro has departed on a free transfer and had been expected to be joined by Manuel Ugarte, who suffered a serious knee injury that stymied any prospect of a big fee for the Uruguayan.

In return, Youri Tielemans and Andrey Santos have arrived, but the third arrival for this sector has yet to emerge, despite numerous links with marquee players.

But more than a big-name signing, United need an all-action player who can bring both pace and volume to the heart of Carrick’s side. These are qualities that their current crop of players do not possess in abundance and will be chronically lacking when Santos is not on the field.

Given the fixture list is set to become seriously congested when Champions League football returns in the autumn, United’s squad needs to be bigger and stronger than ever.

And that is why it is so surprising that sporting director Jason Wilcox overlooked Mamadou Sangare, who was linked with both Man Utd and Liverpool by FootMercato in June.

Instead, the Mali international has been allowed to join Brentford in a deal worth €48 million.

The ultimate box-to-box player

The Bees have a strong track record of getting things right in the transfer market, and missing out on Sangare may prove to be one of the most bruising decisions for United in the years to come.

His attraction is clear: he provides boundless energy in the midfield and is constantly involved in the game, both in a defensive and attacking sense.

The 24-year-old was the ultimate box-to-box player in Ligue 1 last season. Three goals and four assists in 29 Ligue 1 appearances only scrape the surface of what he is capable of.

Current ETV

Mamadou Sangaré

M (C)

Lens

Mamadou Sangaré

M (C)

Lens

€12.3M

ETV Range

€11.1M - €13.6M

View full profile

He finished the season having produced the second-most tackles won (54), the 11th most interceptions (40) and the 26th most shots (53) across all players in the league. His impact at both ends of the field was such that he is the only player to finish the campaign with 50+ tackles and shots.

Remarkably, all this was achieved despite only arriving at the club from Rapid Vienna in an €8m deal midway through August and missing a month of the season due to AFCON commitments with Mali.

Recognition of his efforts came in the form of the Marc-Vivien Foe prize, which is awarded to the top African player each year in Ligue 1.

For a side like United that can lack mobility in the heart of the field, a player of Sangare’s build is priceless because of the volume of ground he can cover. Indeed, it’s a task he positively relishes.

“I love going after the opponent. I've really improved in that area… I really enjoy that aspect of my game because it gives me real pleasure to win back possession,” he told RFI.

He may lack the experience and class of Casemiro, but he makes up for that in terms of his volume of output.

Comparisons could be drawn with Carlos Baleba, who left Lille for Brighton in 2023 for €27m before going on to star in the Premier League and having a and having a €100m price tag put on him. Sangare, though, is a more developed prospect.

A calculated risk

The Lens midfielder did not even appear particularly expensive. Indeed, the risk of the signing was mitigated by the relatively cheap transfer fee. The Red Devils were seeking to work in the €40-50m bracket, much like their failed deal for Ederson, and that is exactly the bracket of fee he left for.

His Estimated Transfer Value (ETV) sits at €13.6m, but in reality his fee was always going to be a multiple of this given that he has smashed expectations in Lens, who, like the Red Devils, are heading into the Champions League next season.

Man Utd may have missed their chance. By next summer, Sangare may well be talked about as the Premier League’s next €100m midfielder.