On Friday, we covered claims from L’Equipe explaining that Rennes had given Chelsea permission to hold talks with Édouard Mendy.
Julien Stéphan’s side take on AS Monaco later today, but the goalkeeper is unlikely to be involved in the league tie.
Another report from L’Equipe, in today’s newspaper, reports the Senegal international said goodbye to his teammates yesterday, which is ‘proof’ his move to Stamford Bridge is ‘imminent’.
It’s claimed the discussions between the two clubs were ‘not easy’, and at times ‘even tense’.
The newspaper states: ‘On one hand, there was great interest from England in the keeper, coming out of two very successful Ligue 1 seasons, complete in his game and strong mentally. On the other hand, a club that could not imagine losing an element that naturally became a leader in the dressing room, with a year remaining on the contract.’
Between these two, the report states, the keeper wanted to make a switch to the Premier League as he could not let the opportunity to join Chelsea pass.
Chelsea had to face important demands of the French club, out of which some were unrealistic. There was also talk of Rennes taking Olivier Giroud and Fikayo Tomori on loan.
In the end, L’Equipe states, an agreement between the two clubs for Mendy’s transfer should be ‘close’ for €25m, without involving any other players. His former club Reims are entitled to 15 percent of the fee.
Mendy should play for Chelsea this season, but L’Equipe adds he has to wait for a fortnight before he arrives in England. There’s no explanation for this, but it could be due to the quarantine rules set by the UK government.
