Manchester City are reportedly closing in on a deal to sign AS Monaco full-back Benjamin Mendy for £50 million.
According to a report by The Sun, Manchester City are preparing to secure another £50 million deal for Benjamin Mendy shortly after finalizing one for long-time target Kyle Walker.
Manchester City’s imminent deal for Walker will see him become the most expensive defender of all time and it looks like the the Citizens are willing to splash the same amount for Benjamin Mendy as well. The Frenchman has become an in-demand defender this summer after helping Monaco win the Ligue 1 title.
Pep Guardiola is understood to have been keeping a close eye on the former Marseille player for quite some time now. The fact that Mendy was left out of Monaco’s pre-season squad that traveled to Switzerland only points towards a possible future with Manchester City.
Mendy has enjoyed a good career so far in France. He progressed rapidly through the ranks at Le Havre before debuting for the senior team at the nascent age of 17. The talented defender spent the initial years of his career with the French second division club before making a move to Marseille in 2013.
That move was the right thing for him to do since he wasted no time in establishing himself in the first-team set up at Marseille and spent three seasons with them. In the process, he also recorded 81 Ligue 1 appearances before joining AS Monaco.
The move to Monaco has seen Mendy truly transform into a quality defender as he played a crucial role in the French club’s back line. Despite being in a team full of youngsters striving to make a mark, Mendy managed to hold his own and make a name for himself as one of the strongest young defenders in Europe.
Mendy’s attacking runs on the left flank have been particularly spectacular to watch since that added a complex layer to Monaco’s attack on the whole.
The youngster’s stellar performances for Monaco has seen rightfully come under the radar of some big clubs including Manchester City. Guardiola will be pleased with Mendy’s style of play and it shouldn’t be too tough for him to settle into life at the Etihad stadium.
The fact that Guardiola let Gael Clichy leave for free this summer has only cleared up more space for Mendy and he is likely to be a regular starter for Manchester City if the deal goes through, with Aleksandar Kolarov likely to be the backup option.