Redknapp names Sangare the signing of the summer and warns United missed a £120m opportunity

Jamie Redknapp has declared Mamadou Sangare the standout signing of the Premier League summer window and suggested Manchester United will come to regret missing out on the Brentford midfielder, who he believes could eventually command a £120m fee.

Brentford secured Sangare, 24, for a club-record £40m from Lens, with Aston Villa, Crystal Palace and United all previously linked to the Mali international. United ultimately reshaped their midfield under Michael Carrick by signing Youri Tielemans, Andrey Santos and Carlos Baleba, but Redknapp believes they let the most valuable option slip through their fingers.

“The best business I like is Sangare at Brentford,” the former Liverpool and Tottenham midfielder said. “I think he’s going to be a wonderful signing for them. He’ll probably be worth £120million in a few years. He’ll go to Brentford, establish himself as a top player.”

Sangare has made an immediate impression in west London, most notably dominating the midfield in a victory over Tottenham — a performance that drew direct comparisons with Sandro Tonali, who joined Spurs for £100m. Redknapp also pointed to the arrival of El Hadji Malick Diouf as further evidence of Brentford’s sharp recruitment, praising the club’s ability to move early and decisively in the market.

The only signing Redknapp placed alongside Sangare was Emi Martinez’s move to Chelsea. “Yeah for me, and also Emi Martinez as well, that was a really smart one,” he said. “You couldn’t take Chelsea seriously this season if they kept the goalkeeper in place. But that Emi Martinez one — with his experience and quality — I think it gives Chelsea a really good chance. That’s the question mark that everyone had against them: ‘Is the goalkeeper good enough?’ and he certainly is.”

For United, the assessment will sting. Having been credited with preparing an offer for Sangare before his move to Brentford, they now face the prospect of watching a player they passed on develop into one of the division’s most coveted midfielders.