When it was announced Chelsea were on the market for a new goalkeeper over the past transfer window, it didn’t really come as a surprise.
Despite spending big on Kepa Arrizabalaga, the Blues never really seemed to fully trust the Spaniard after his arrival, and Frank Lampard made that very clear when he benched him for Willy Caballero.
It was never a case of wanting to sell him, but the lack of real competition at the club appeared to have made him somewhat complacent, which the manager wanted to put an end to.
That’s why Édouard Mendy was eventually signed from Rennes in Ligue 1′; a transfer that took shape thanks to Petr Čech, current advisor at the club and emergency goalkeeper in both the Premier League and the Champions League.
The 38-year-old had a chat with Téléfoot Chaîne on Monday morning, where he discussed how the move for the Senegalese shot stopper came about, revealing he’d followed his progress for three years.
He said: “We had to make sure it was someone everyone agreed on, not just me. It had to be the club, and especially the manager, who had to be comfortable with the choice. We had a list of goalkeepers. We presented it all to Frank Lampard. We talked with the scouts. We shared information. We gave the pros and cons of each goalkeeper.
“In the end, my knowledge of Édouard for the past three years helped. I think he’s a goalkeeper who can still improve, with his work, professionalism and desire to be better every day. I’m convinced he’ll improve more, and these aren’t the best performances you’ll see from Édouard Mendy”.
