SM Caen star Alexandre Mendy failed to secure a move to Sunderland in the summer window.
The 30-year-old’s agent had insisted his client was determined to join the Black Cats. Mendy publicly requested the Ligue 2 side sanction his sale to the Championship side.
Sunderland and the forward were keen for the transfer to take shape, but Caen refused to let him leave.
Ouest-France now state Caen’s success in the league this season will ‘depend entirely’ on Mendy. He was Ligue 2’s top scorer last season, managing 22 goals and an assist from 37 league matches.
The French club’s staff question whether the Guinea-Bissau international can replicate last season’s form, after a failed move to Sunderland.
The attacker seems to have put the summer disappointment behind him and his desire is to showcase his qualities on the pitch. This is echoed by Caen manager Nicolas Seube.
Mendy made his first appearance of the season in his side’s 1-1 draw against FC Annecy on August 30th. Seube said he’s pleased his side didn’t let the player join Régis Le Bris’ side in the last window.
“I’m happy that management succeeded. When we keep such an offensive weapon, the coach that I am is obviously delighted,” he said.
“When we keep the strong elements of the team, it reassures everyone. I’ve been in the players’ shoes, I really know what we’re talking about.
“When we lost Andy Delort [in the summer of 2016] and found ourselves without a centre forward for an entire preparation, we wondered how we were going to score goals, before the arrival of Ivan [Santini]. The players are not crazy, they know that they need strength to win matches.”
