LONDON – Rennes goalkeeper Edouard Mendy had a medical at Chelsea on Tuesday ahead of completing a move worth 22 million pounds (US$28 million) from Rennes, reported Xinhua news agency.
Mendy will provide competition for Kepa Arrizabalaga, who is the most expensive keeper in the world after joining from Athletic Club in 2018.
Kepa is under ever-increasing pressure after making the latest in a series of errors in Chelsea’s 2-0 defeat at home to Liverpool on Sunday.
Speaking ahead of his side’s Carabao Cup game against Barnsley on Wednesday, Chelsea coach Frank Lampard said that former Chelsea goalkeeper Petr Cech, who is now a technical and performance advisor at the club, had been instrumental in the signing.
“Petr was important in that because goalkeeper is a very particular position. Petr Cech was the best in the world in that position for a long time, so he’s obviously had a big say in this situation,” explained Lampard of the former keeper, who in 2004 also joined Chelsea from Rennes.
“From my point of view, I lean heavily on him when it comes to goalkeeping today and in the future. So yes, he was very influential,” he commented.
–BERNAMA
