Chelsea and Manchester City are reportedly both eyeing a summer move for highly-rated AS Monaco defender Benjamin Mendy.
French publication France Football have claimed that Pep Guardiola is eyeing a summer move for AS Monaco defender Benjamin Mendy. The left-back has been linked to Arsenal, Manchester United and Chelsea recently. And the Blues are again named as a potential competitor for City in the report.
AS Monaco have set the entire Europe alight with their free-flowing playing style and highly impactful attacking game. But, the defence, too, has been quietly earning the praises for solid displays that have seen Leonardo Jardim’s side maintain their top spot in Ligue 1 while also reaching the Quarter Finals of the UEFA Champions League.
And Benjamin Mendy is a player that has contributed to both sides of the game. The 22-year-old has established himself as a key member of the squad in just his first season with the club, having joined last summer from Marseille.
This season, he has a total of 33 games to boot, with a massive 10 assists to his name while also opening his account for the club, with a solitary goal in Coupe de France – brilliant numbers for a left-back.
The report states that, as AS Monaco mounted a comeback to oust Manchester City in the Pre-Quarters of the Champions League, Guardiola was impressed with Benjamin Mendy’s display over the two legs. The Spaniard was already following Mendy from last summer and looks to have renewed his interest in him after the clash.
Manchester City prepare a bid of £30m to sign Monaco defender Benjamin Mendy (22). [France Football] pic.twitter.com/BFfV8rBLCF
— City Chief ️ (@City_Chief) April 10, 2017
Pep Guardiola is looking to freshen up his entire squad, especially the wide defensive areas. The current left-back options – Gael Clichy and Aleksandar Kolarov – are on the wrong side of 30 and are unlikely to be a part of Guardiola’s long-term project at Etihad.
Guardiola has been linked with moves for Danny Rose and Ben Davies recently, both of whom have considerable Premier League experience under their belt. However, Benjamin Mendy has now entered the radar of the blue half of Manchester, who are eager to acquire the services of the French international in the summer.
As per the report, Guardiola is ready to splash around €35 million on Mendy, an amount he hopes will be enough to convince AS Monaco to part with their left-back, whose Monaco deal runs till 2021. However, Citizens do face competition, mostly from the Premier League.
Arsenal, Manchester United and Chelsea are all reported to be interested in the player. But, it is Chelsea who has been named in the report as a club that could emerge as a competitor for Guardiola’s men.
The Blues will be competing in the Champions League next campaign and would need depth in the left-wing back area, which currently boasts of just one option – Marcos Alonso. Also, despite Chelsea being top of the table, there have been questions asked of Alonso’s credibility to be an undisputed starter at Stamford Bridge.
Even if Alonso remains the first-choice, Mendy’s arrival would remove the assurance factor the Italian currently feels, perhaps, and would peg him on to perform better and be consistent or run the risk of losing his place to the Frenchman.
Chelsea are unlikely to have a problem with matching Manchester City’s bid for Mendy and it is likely to come down to which project interests Mendy more. For now, though, Mendy would be focused on helping his side win the Ligue 1 and perhaps, even the Champions League, which could see an increase in the 22-year-old’s price.
