Who is Mo Sangare? Profile on Newcastle United midfielder who featured as a trialist in Blackpool’s defeat to Liverpool

Blackpool handed a trial to Mo Sangare during yesterday’s FA Lancashire Senior Cup defeat to Liverpool.
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The 23-year-old, a Liberian international, plays for Newcastle United. He’s yet to make a senior appearance for the first-team but he’s a regular for their Under-23 side.

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Sangare joined Accrington Stanley on loan last season, but made just four appearances before his spell was cut short by injury.

He previously spent time in the North West with Accrington’s development squad earlier in his career but was unable to gain a work permit to sign at the time.

“I spent around eight months here when I first came over from Liberia at the age of 14,” Sangare told BBC Sport.

“I couldn't speak a lot of English and going to Accrington and Rossendale College helped me.”

Sangare featured for the Seasiders against Liverpool yesterdaySangare featured for the Seasiders against Liverpool yesterday
Sangare featured for the Seasiders against Liverpool yesterday
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His first club in England was Reddish North End in Stockport, near Manchester, where he was spotted by Newcastle’s chief scout Steve Nickson.

He also featured for Burnley’s shadow youth team shortly after representing Accrington.

But the 6ft 3ins man was offered a trial for Newcastle’s Under-18s in 2016, where he impressed enough to be offered a deal.

Ben Dawson, Newcastle’s former Under-23s boss, gave an insight into Sangare’s unusual route into football in an interview back in 2019.

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“We picked him up from the Manchester area through Steve Nickson and the recruitment department,” he said.

“He's come from seven-a-side football, it wasn’t long ago, so he still has a lot of work to do in terms of game understanding but we think he's got some good attributes.

“We’re still not sure exactly which position he will play. He has played as a number eight and a little bit as a number four.

“We’ve asked him to take a bit of responsibility in terms of doing an extra five minutes before training each day on the bounce boards to work on his touch. He is so powerful that he often isn’t set.

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"It looks at times like he’s sloppy but he’s got that much power.”

It’s understood Sangare’s contract expires this summer, and with the midfielder currently on trial with the Seasiders that suggests his future lies away from St James’ Park.

It’s no secret that Blackpool are desperate to bolster their ranks in central midfield, something they weren’t able to do during the January transfer window despite strong interest in both Cameron Brannagan (Oxford United) and Oliver Norburn (Peterborough United).

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Chairman Darragh MacAnthony disclosed an £800k fee had been agreed with an unnamed club in his weekly 'Hard Truth' podcast which was widely believed to be the Seasiders as they had tried to sign Norburn in January.

Norburn has undergone an operation on his anterior cruciate ligament and faces nine months on the sidelines.