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Is Sangare the new Elliot Anderson for FPL DefCon points?

4 August 2026 186 comments
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Brentford have broken their transfer record to sign Mamadou Sangare (£5.5m) from Lens.

The Mali international arrives in west London after an outstanding campaign in Ligue 1.

The 24-year-old helped Lens finish second in the French top flight, earning a place in the Ligue 1 Team of the Season. He also won the Marc-Vivien Foé Award as the league’s best African player.

But what kind of player have the Bees signed? More importantly, what could he offer Fantasy Premier League (FPL) managers – and is he the new Elliot Anderson (£6.5m)?

WHO IS HE?

After starting his career in Mali with Yeelen Olympique, he moved to Red Bull Salzburg before gaining valuable experience during loan spells in Austria and Belgium. His performances at Hartberg earned a permanent move to Rapid Vienna, where he developed into one of the Austrian Bundesliga’s standout midfielders.

Lens signed him last summer and immediately handed him a key role in midfield. Sangare repaid that faith with an excellent debut campaign, making 33 Ligue 1 appearances as Lens finished second and qualified for the UEFA Champions League.

Now a regular international with Mali, the 24-year-old arrives at Brentford as one of Europe’s most highly-rated emerging central midfielders.

WHAT POSITION DOES HE PLAY?

Above: Sangare’s position in his final match for Lens (via Transfermarkt)

Sangare is primarily a central midfielder who thrives in a double pivot, although he can also operate as a box-to-box No.8.

He’ll likely compete with Yehor Yarmoliuk, Vitaly Janelt and Mathias Jensen for a place in the Brentford engine room. Jordan Henderson has now left the club.

Naturally left-footed, he isn’t the type of midfielder who simply sits in front of the defence. Instead, he enjoys pressing high, winning possession and driving his team up the pitch once he regains the ball.

That balance between defensive work and progressive play is one of his biggest strengths. Those qualities should make him a natural fit in Keith Andrews’ midfield.

“He is effective both in winning the ball and in carrying the game forward. That is rare today. Usually, you have one or the other. He has both.” – Pierre Sage, former head coach at Lens (via the Brentford website)

DOES HE OFFER ANY ATTACKING THREAT?

 

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186 Comments Login to Post a Comment
  1. southernpacific
    • 15 Years
    2 hours, 48 mins ago

    Content creators should not be a job that even exists. Ruining fantasy football for 10 years now. Ban them

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    1. Ball Ake
      • 2 Years
      2 hours, 39 mins ago

      I seem to recall the CC's all started terribly last year because they all followed the same path. To thy own self be true.

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    2. ᶠᶦˡᵗʰʸLucre $$$
      • 11 Years
      2 hours, 37 mins ago

      Think of all the chicks they must get though.

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      1. Qaiss
        • 10 Years
        2 hours, 37 mins ago

        Dudes too!

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    3. Qaiss
      • 10 Years
      2 hours, 32 mins ago

      Maybe instead just ban the term ‘expert’ or ‘pro pundit’ in relation to FPL

      And FPL review should be nuked

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    4. x.jim.x
      • 11 Years
      1 hour, 42 mins ago

      People have been creating 'content' (ew) since the dawn of time - it's your responsibility to filter out the charlatans and listen to the true prophets like me

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  2. jayzico
    • 15 Years
    2 hours, 47 mins ago

    At last...

    My updated GW1 BB (no Haaland til after IT - I believe it's worth the risk with this lot)

    Lammens.
    VVD. Mukiele. Gvard. Mosq.
    BrunoF(c). Mbeumo. MGW. E.LeFee.
    Brobbey. DCL.

    Bench: Kinsky. Palmer. JP. Hato

    Have I convinced anyone to go the no-Haaland route until IB (I'll have 4 free transfers by then too - I hope)

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    1. jayzico
      • 15 Years
      2 hours, 47 mins ago

      IB not IT (nice predictive texting there)

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    2. Bobby Digital
      • 8 Years
      2 hours, 46 mins ago

      Nope, I'm captaining the viking in GW1

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    3. Christina.
      • 16 Years
      2 hours, 41 mins ago

      Updated...again!
      😆

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      1. jayzico
        • 15 Years
        2 hours, 37 mins ago

        Christina - why have our 15s not updated to 16s?

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        1. Tony Moon
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • 17 Years
          1 hour, 41 mins ago

          Thought mine would change too!

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    4. Jstap94
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 2 Years
      2 hours, 38 mins ago

      Are you worried about Haaland in GW3 or will you FH?

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      1. jayzico
        • 15 Years
        2 hours, 37 mins ago

        FH GW3. Then WC

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    5. Jstap94
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 2 Years
      2 hours, 35 mins ago

      I also prefer Verbruggen at home to Villa to Kinsky away at Brentford.

      Hato interesting, have on my radar and could be a good pick. But not convinved by VVD

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    6. Mother Farke
      • 2 Years
      2 hours, 31 mins ago

      Is Hato nailed with all the depth Chelsea have got? Good squadron, mate.

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    7. Brosstan
      • 11 Years
      1 hour, 43 mins ago

      People were arguing for this strategy on here way before you changed to it.. just saying

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    8. x.jim.x
      • 11 Years
      1 hour, 31 mins ago

      Makes me laugh when people try to make their BBs look better by putting obvious starters on the bottom row. Like there's no chance you'd be benching Palmer and Pedro for Sunderland players if you weren't playing the chip.

      With that in mind, leaving out Haaland so you can play Brobbey and Le Fee is a bad idea.

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  3. ᶠᶦˡᵗʰʸLucre $$$
    • 11 Years
    2 hours, 47 mins ago

    So, since the game launched there have only been 2 hot topics, and both of them are around joining MLs. Have FFS and the Mods given up?

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    1. Brosstan
      • 11 Years
      1 hour, 41 mins ago

      Was like this all season. The powers that be would probably enjoy if this community part of the site died off.

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  4. TafOnTour1
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 2 Years
    2 hours, 43 mins ago

    Think I'm pretty settled on this draft, until at least the Community Shield anyway...thoughts?!

    Kinsky (Dubravka)

    Calafiori, Maguire, Muharemovic (Kadioglu, Van Ewijk)

    Rice, Semenyo, Cunha, Mbeumo, Gibbs-White

    Haaland, Joao Pedro (Kusi-Asare).

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    1. Jstap94
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 2 Years
      2 hours, 39 mins ago

      I dont think Rice will start the season but can see by the CS as you say.

      I think Semenyo is a wait and see as it looks like he will be asked to play much wider this year and could dilute his scoring threat (if not assists)

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  5. Jstap94
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 2 Years
    2 hours, 41 mins ago

    BB1 team.

    Lammens, Verbruggen
    Shaw, Mitchell, Diop, Mosquera, Calafiori
    Fernandes, Sarr, Szoboslai, Anderson, Gross
    Haaland, Pedro, Jesus

    Not 100% on Anderson but want maximum defcon in one of those MID places

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  6. ItsComingHome123
    2 hours, 38 mins ago

    thoughts on tel? great preseason so far, as long as tottenham dont sign a new left winger hes first choice.

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    1. polis
      • 15 Years
      2 hours, 35 mins ago

      You lost me at Tottenham.

      A big wait and see.

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    2. Jstap94
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 2 Years
      2 hours, 35 mins ago

      Quite inconsistent is my memory from last season? Spurs dont have amazing fixtures to start either

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    3. Qaiss
      • 10 Years
      2 hours, 31 mins ago

      Before DEFCONs, this sort of player would have been a talking point. It’s not now unfortunately

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  7. Jstap94
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 2 Years
    2 hours, 34 mins ago

    Any thoughts on Andrey Santos? For 5m, reckon he starts, and good for DEFCON?

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    1. Raoul Nogues
      2 hours, 20 mins ago

      Isn't Manu Kone supposed to sign there ? (Mainoo being the other guaranteed starter)

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      1. x.jim.x
        • 11 Years
        1 hour, 36 mins ago

        Latest from the club is that we're not necessarily signing another midfielder. As it stands, I think Mount and Santos start GW1 as they've developed a bit of a partnership already. Mainoo hasn't joined training yet so might not start for a while.

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    2. x.jim.x
      • 11 Years
      1 hour, 38 mins ago

      He'll definitely start and has looked good in pre-season. Might as well spring for Mount if you're going down that path though.

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    3. scampy
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 7 Years
      34 mins ago

      exactly my thinking, he average per 90 is just over 10, however at united a think he will play a key role as ball winning midfielder.

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  8. maltasi
    • 17 Years
    2 hours, 18 mins ago

    Another goal today for Buendia. He’s having a decent pre-season.

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    1. The Mentaculus
      • 5 Years
      1 hour, 17 mins ago

      Looks like a classic preseason Villa trap. He'll be out for Manzambi soon enough

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