A few years ago, Edouard Mendy would certainly not have imagined signing one day for Chelsea and rubbing shoulders with N'Golo Kanté or Thiago Silva.
The 28-year-old Senegalese is however the new goalkeeper of the Blues after being officially transferred from Rennes on Thursday for nearly 25 million euros (the most expensive transfer for a Ligue 1 player in this position).
He signed a five-year contract.
Born and trained in Le Havre (Seine-Maritime), the 1.97 m player was still evolving in a whole different world in 2014, in Cherbourg (National then National 2, 3rd and 4th divisions) when he was dangled with a first departure to England.
"An agent left me stranded," he explained in our columns last year.
After three seasons in Cherbourg, I decided to look elsewhere.
An agent, who often worked with Le Havre, is recommended to me by players, so I have total confidence.
He guarantees me that I will sign in England, like other players he has placed there.
I just have to wait until the goalkeeper of the D 3 club where I have to join, leaves.
But July passes.
In August, I try to contact him but he does not respond.
No more news.
Apart from a text message wishing me good luck for the future… ”
"One year unemployed is a very long time"
Instead of signing across the Channel, it was at Pôle Emploi that Edouard Mendy then pointed in August 2014. With the help of his family, Ferland Mendy's cousin, the French international left side of Real Madrid, clings to it.
"One year unemployed is a very long time and the help of my family allowed me to overcome this period during which no one calls you any more, whether it is the agents, the clubs, the players, he confided to us. .
I had the chance to be in Le Havre, with my family who encouraged me whenever I had periods of doubt.
"
While expecting his first child, he plans to return to normal life.
“At the time, a friend was going to open a ready-to-wear store.
Since I have a professional baccalaureate in commerce and I am rather comfortable in contact with people, he was ready to let me manage his shop.
It was in Le Havre, at home, too.
I had an alternative if I could not find in football, ”he said.
"He fed on his difficult journey and he is hungry"
A providential boost came from Marseille in the summer of 2015. Recommended by a former teammate, Edouard was offered a one-year amateur contract with the OM reserve and seized the opportunity with both hands .
The Marseille club offered him in the wake of a two-year pro contract, which he declined, however: "Signing would have blocked me in my progress in relation to the playing time I could benefit from," he said.
I refused and I went to Reims which had a very good project, that of the ascent, then to register for the duration in L 1. "
He and David Guion, the Reims coach, had only to congratulate themselves on this choice.
"When I took over the team (in May 2017), my first strong choice was to install him as a starting player, when he had no high level experience," said Guion about him at the end of the last season.
He had a prominent place in our climb (in L 1 in 2018) and he has asserted himself as one of the best goalkeepers in L 1. He has fed on his difficult course and he is hungry.
He should not set limits.
He is called to go even higher.
“After Rennes where Mendy had signed in the summer of 2019, he is now in one of the biggest English clubs.
