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The £41m box office Crystal Palace transfer hijack that could ignite the summer window Crystal Palace are reportedly considering an attempt to hijack Brentford’s bid for one of France’s best players of last season - but will it work? Crystal Palace have been among the very quietest clubs in the Premier League so far this summer, and despite appointing a new manager they appear to be doing their best to achieve continuity within a squad that has won silverware in consecutive seasons. Óscar Mingueza has arrived and Maxence Lacroix is leaving, but otherwise it’s been business as usual. Until now, perhaps. Fresh reports from France suggest that new head coach Pierre Sage, the architect of RC Lens’ outstanding 2025/26 season, could be set to raid his former club for one of the stars of a campaign which saw them win the French Cup and push PSG all the way in the title race – midfielder Mamadou Sangaré. The problem is that another Premier League club are already deep into advanced talks with the Mali international. So can Palace pull of a massive transfer heist, and would it be worth the money and effort? Will Crystal Palace sign Mamadou Sangaré – or will Brentford get there first? On Tuesday, French outlet Foot Mercato reported that Brentford had reached an agreement in principle with Lens to sign Sangaré for €48m (£41m) – and it appeared as though the Bees had achieved something of a coup, landing one of the outstanding players of the last Ligue 1 season. They may not have as clear a path to a deal as seemed to be the case, however. L’Equipe now report that Crystal Palace are considering a bid of their own which could well come over the top of Brentford’s offer and potentially knock them out of the running. The financial specifics are uncertain and it’s not been reported than an offer has yet been made, but Sage seems to be keen for his former charge to follow him to Selhurst Park. They will likely need to act fast. Brentford seem to be entering the latter stages of the negotiation process, with personal terms and a medical all that stands between them and a significant signing. Sangaré has been held out of Lens’ recent pre-season friendlies, too, in order to avoid an injury before the move is completed. Palace have a trump card in Sage, however, Sangaré’s former manager, and will be able to offer European football this season when Brentford cannot. If Palace match or beat the Bees’ bid, they likely become favourites for his signature immediately. The question now is whether they will make their move, or whether they decide to hold their fire and keep their transfer budget for other positions. Few would argue that the signing of a central midfielder should be Palace’s biggest priority this summer, after all – but Sangaré could well be worth the hefty transfer fee regardless. Why Sangaré could be worth the money The 24-year-old Sangaré has endured a rather peripatetic career thus far, spending each of the last six seasons with a different club – four sides on loan from RB Salzburg, then a year with Rapid Vienna after he failed to make the cut with Salzburg’s first team, and then Lens last season after an €8m (£7m) move. It turned out to be a bargain. An immensely energetic box-to-box midfielder, Sangaré seemed to pop up everywhere on the pitch in just about every match that he played, and had a huge impact, especially off the ball. Opposing midfielders seldom managed to get away from him. He piled up the tackles and interceptions and forced a massive 7.1 turnovers per game – in the Premier League last season, only Elliot Anderson managed to recover possession more frequently. He was one of the best defensive midfielders in France, but managed to cover every square inch of the pitch at the same time. He also displayed plenty of technical prowess. A strong ball carrier who is unafraid to take opposing players on, he’s also a sharp and accurate passer and unafraid to try his luck from range – he scored three goals and created four more in the league last season. Destructive off the ball, capable and creative on it and highly consistent throughout the season, Sangaré suggested that he would be a huge asset in an age in which the physical and positional demands placed on central midfielders is growing rapidly. He has the combination of stamina, intelligence and raw determination necessary to be a star in England. The Mali international, who has earned 16 caps for his country and was a member of their 2025 Africa Cup of Nations squad, seems set for a seventh club in seventh years – but that track record is a reflection of his success and the speed at which he has improved and risen through the ranks rather than a concern. Brentford, at least, have decided that it’s worth spending over £40m to sign a player who appears to have all the attributes to be a huge hit in the Premier League. Now it’s up to Crystal Palace to choose whether they want to take the same chance. Based on how he played at Lens, it doesn’t look like all that much of a gamble.