Chelsea goalkeeper Edouard Mendy could be set to depart the club. The Senegalese shot-stopper is unhappy at losing his first team place to Kepa Arrizabalaga. Sami Mokbel of the Daily Mail reports on this, revealing that the Blues even have a backup replacement lined up for Mendy.
Edouard Mendy Loses Number One Chelsea Goalkeeper Spot
Senegalese Star Could Make Shock Exit
Mendy joined Chelsea in September 2020 from Rennes. Since then the 30-year-old has gone on to make 104 Chelsea appearances with 49 clean sheets.
He has forged his name as a quality Premier League goalkeeper but injuries and resulting poor form have plagued him recently. To make matters worse, new boss Potter seems to prefer Arrizabalaga over Mendy.
Read More: Edouard Mendy is The Best Chelsea Signing in Recent History
This decision was made a lot easier while Mendy was injured, with Arrizabalaga stepping in to deputise. But in doing so, Arrizabalaga has seemingly become Chelsea’s number one.
And the stats don’t reflect too well on Mendy at the moment. The Blues have lost three of the last four games with Mendy between the sticks, with Arrizabalaga sidelined with a foot injury.
Ex-Chelsea defender William Gallas recently commented on how Mendy’s teammate Arrizabalaga deserved his place in the first team.
Gallas said: “‘For the goalkeeper, it’s harder so that shows how strong he is, how professional he was. Even when you are second choice, you can’t give up. A lot of players give up when they know they are second choice. A lot of them give up, they don’t train properly so he’s shown everyone what you have to do.”
‘When you play you have to be good, don’t give the opportunity to the manager to put you on the bench.
“Don’t make mistakes, when you do one or two mistakes it’s easier for the manager to put you on the bench. Unfortunately, Mendy made some mistakes and that’s why Potter has picked Kepa over him.”
Here’s Who Could Replace Mendy as Chelsea’s Backup Goalkeeper
Sportsmail report that Chelsea could make a move for Brighton’s Robert Sanchez in January. Graham Potter is a fan of Sanchez from managing him at The Seagulls.
The Spaniard is six years younger than Mendy and already has 78 Premier League appearances under his belt with 25 clean sheets.
Meanwhile, Mendy will be Senegal’s first-choice goalkeeper for the World Cup in Qatar and this is likely to draw lots of attention from other clubs for his signature. But until Chelsea bring in a replacement like Sanchez, it is unlikely that Mendy will be making any move in January.
Either way, Mendy is unlikely to be phased by this latest battle for a first-team spot. Just over eight years ago, Mendy was unemployed and queuing at his local job centre, with the intention of quitting football for good. He has plenty of experience, a World Cup to enjoy and another two years left on his Chelsea contract which expires on June 30 2025.
Chelsea had the chance to sign Donnarumma as free agent, months ago. The board wanted to trust Mendy as “he’s our goalkeeper for next years too” 🔵 #CFC
7 years ago Edouard was unemployed, lining up at a local job center & ready to quit football. Now he’s untouchable at Chelsea. pic.twitter.com/P0UHC53nqd
— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) October 16, 2021
