Chelsea: Edouard Mendy isn’t a budget signing for the Blues
Despite Edouard Mendy not being a household name amongst the European elite, Chelsea’s pursuit of him isn’t a cheap, stopgap alternative.
To the surprise of many, it seems as if Kepa Arrizabalaga will be deployed as Chelsea’s No. 1 goalkeeper in its opening match of the 2020/21 season. Arrizabalaga had an abysmal year in his sophomore campaign and with the Blues dishing out north of £200 million for transfers, surely a top class keeper would’ve been amongst them.
However, time ran out on the Blues before match week one due to the methodical negotiation tactics of Marina Granovskaia. That doesn’t mean Chelsea is sticking with Arrizabalaga though. The Blues have agreed to a deal with Edouard Mendy of Rennes and despite not being one of the elite keepers in Europe, he isn’t a cheap stopgap either.
Mendy is one of the most underrated goalkeeping talents in Europe’s top five leagues. Despite turning 28 earlier this year, Mendy is just hitting his prime. The Senegalese goalkeeper managed nine clean sheets last season and averaged 0.79 goals against per game. In the 24 matches he played in, he allowed 19 goals, which ranks third amongst goalkeepers playing 20 or more matches. Only PSG’s Keylor Navas (18 goals against in 21 games) and Reims’ Predrag Rajkovic (18 in 27) allowed less. Mendy also saved 78.4 percent of shots he faced; again, third amongst shot stoppers in Ligue 1.
Therefore, it isn’t a stretch by any means to claim Mendy can hang with the best of them, despite not being one of the premier names in world football. Players like Jan Oblak and Gianluigi Donnarumma were linked to the club weeks ago, but after spending an incomprehensible amount of money so far this offseason, nobody expected those expensive names to end up in west London. Being unable to move Arrizabalaga also played a massive part in this decision.
Mendy has some incredible figures, but the 28-year-old’s stats weren’t the most convincing piece of information surrounding his move to Stamford Bridge. Chelsea fans can breathe a breath of fresh air as it seems as if Petr Cech is directly involved in this transfer. Matt Law of the Daily Telegraph spoke with the London is Blue podcast about Mendy and in the interview, Law stated he believes the club has been tracking the keeper since last season.
Blues fans can now rejoice as questions surrounding Cech’s direct involvement can no longer be questioned. Cech, current Chelsea Technical and Performance Advisor and club legend, also backed Arrizabalaga following a disastrous 2019/20 campaign. Therefore, expect Mendy and Arrizabalaga to push one another throughout the season and fight for the starting job. Even if Mendy wins it, the club’s confidence in him clearly shows he isn’t a temporary fix.
As previously stated; only 28, Mendy is just reaching his prime. He has the better part of a decade left in him if he can remain healthy. Therefore, Chelsea doesn’t have to move on at the first opportunity. It’s common for fans to desire the world’s best, but with a competent defense in front of him, Mendy can reach those levels.
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Mendy surely isn’t the flashiest name the club could have brought in after some of the other links, but at the end of the day, the Blues are getting their guy. Keeping Arrizabalaga around for another season—while giving him competition—means Frank Lampard will be absolutely sure when it becomes decision time next summer.