Ferland Mendy (middle) may arrive in the Premier League this summer
Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur are preparing to do battle over the signing of Real Madrid star Ferland Mendy, with the Spanish giants reportedly ready to offload the 28-year-old.
Mendy has been on Madrid’s books since July 2019, when Los Blancos paid Lyon £47million to make him their new left-back. Since then, Mendy has made 154 appearances for Madrid, helping them win trophies such as the Champions League, La Liga title and Spanish cup.
However, the Frenchman is likely to swap clubs during the summer transfer window. According to The Athletic, Carlo Ancelotti is a fan of Mendy’s defensive capabilities but has been left frustrated by other aspects of his game, such as his composure in the final third.
This concern is understandable, given the fact the player has only managed six goals during his time in the Spanish capital.
The report states that Madrid are hoping to land either Bayern Munich star Alphonso Davies or Girona’s Miguel Gutierrez to replace Mendy.
Madrid are planning to sell the 28-year-old in the summer, which will play into the hands of some of the biggest clubs in the Premier League.
Tottenham were keen on signing Mendy last summer and it was even claimed that Madrid held talks over including the full-back in a player-plus-cash deal for Harry Kane.
Tottenham are still keeping tabs on Mendy’s situation and could move for him in the summer now that Madrid have warmed to the idea of his exit. But they will have to overcome London rivals Chelsea to snare Mendy.
Chelsea, Tottenham both like Real Madrid man
In December, it emerged that Chelsea are hopeful of landing the player as they look to overhaul the left-back position.
Mauricio Pochettino’s current options in the area are Ben Chilwell, Marc Cucurella and Levi Colwill, while Ian Maatsen is out on loan at Borussia Dortmund.
Chelsea want to sell Maatsen to ease their profit and sustainability concerns, while Cucurella could be offloaded too as he has struggled to replicate the great form he previously showed at Brighton.
Colwill, meanwhile, is viewed as a key part of Chelsea’s long-term project, but he would rather play at centre-half. Those factors could see Mendy arrive in West London to challenge Chilwell for his starting spot under Pochettino.
It is unclear how much Madrid want before selling Mendy, though they will have to take a hit on him. The former Paris Saint-Germain youth player has entered the final 18 months of his contract, while transfermarkt put his value at just £17m.