Tottenham Hotspur travel to the Gtech Community Stadium this Saturday carrying a midfield overhaul worth a staggering £185million, but they will find Brentford have made their own statement of intent in the engine room ahead of the Premier League opener.
Under manager Roberto De Zerbi, Spurs have reshaped their central midfield with the additions of Sandro Tonali and Mateus Fernandes, deals in which the Italian coach reportedly played a direct role. Pre-season performances have offered encouraging signs of the new double pivot clicking, but the visit to west London represents a sterner examination of their credentials.
Standing in their way will be Mamadou Sangare, Brentford's club-record £41million signing from Lens, who arrives with a reputation for relentless ball-winning. The Bees moved decisively to secure the Mali international, fending off interest from his former manager Pierre Sage, who had wanted to take Sangare with him to Crystal Palace.
That determined pursuit appears to reflect something of Sangare's own character on the pitch. Rapid Vienna sporting director Markus Katzer once described the 24-year-old as