Chelsea have been quoted a transfer fee of €40m (£35.7m) by Rennes for Senegal international goalkeeper Edouard Mendy, with the Blues looking to provide stiff competition for underwhelming current number one Kepa Arrizabalaga.
Mendy is something of a late bloomer at 28, having only made the step up to Ligue 1 in 2018 when he helped Stade de Reims to promotion. He was poached by Rennes last summer and was part of the side that went on to secure Champions League football.
Chelsea manager Frank Lampard is long known to have been after a new goalkeeper. Kepa finished the 2019/20 season on the bench behind veteran Willy Caballero, including the FA Cup final, and has endured other spells out of the team as a result of errors and inconsistency.
Chelsea have therefore turned their attention to Mendy, but he won’t come cheap. Although his age suggests he still has a long-term upside, the Daily Telegraph notes that Rennes have set their price high. A proposed deal in excess of £35m would make Mendy the third most expensive goalkeeper in history behind only Kepa (£71m) and Alisson Becker (£67m).
Whether Chelsea would be willing to pay that much is another question. According to Sky Sports, the west London side only turned their attention to Mendy after being quoted too high a price for Lille’s Mike Maignan, who was Ligue 1 goalkeeper of the year in 2018/19.
It is said Lille wanted £32m for the 25-year-old stopper, prompting Chelsea to end their interest because they only consider him to be worth around £22m. But that quoted figure is actually less than what Rennes have now asked for Mendy.
Sky’s report adds Maignan is disappointed that no deal has been agreed, while it is also revealed that technical adviser Petr Cech’s long-term association with Rennes, where he played before signing for Chelsea back in 2004, helped identify Mendy as an alternative.
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Source : 90min