Tottenham Hotspur
Premier League • England
Tottenham tipped to make shock move for senior Chelsea star as Levy prepares for veteran’s departure
There is reportedly a ‘strong possibility’ that Chelsea will sell goalkeeper Edouard Mendy this summer, amid links to London rivals Tottenham Hotspur.
The Senegal international has endured a frustrating season at Stamford Bridge after falling behind Kepa Arrizabalaga in the pecking order, struggling for consistent minutes.
It’s no secret that Spurs are looking for a replacement for Hugo Lloris, with Mendy the latest big name linked with the club.
Indeed, the 31-year-old has barely featured for the Blues this term, making just 11 appearances across all competitions.
Admittedly, he has had some injury problems, but Graham Potter now seems to have settled on Kepa as his main goalkeeper, despite Mendy being vital for Chelsea in the past.
The shot-stopper was awarded both the FIFA and UEFA Goalkeeper of the Year Award in 2021, having helped Chelsea win the Champions League in 2020 and most recently helped his team to lift the Club World Cup in 2021.
But, with Mendy so far failing to pen a contract extension after reportedly being left ‘insulted’ by a recent offer, it now looks like he will depart Stamford Bridge, opening the door for Tottenham to make their move.
Mendy joins list of Tottenham keeper targets
This is according to the Athletic, who claim that there is now a ‘strong possibility’ that Chelsea will look to sell Mendy in the summer.
They add that this could alert Tottenham, who were linked with the player in January and as per numerous reports, they were ‘offered the chance’ to sign Mendy.
As mentioned, Spurs are in the market for a new goalkeeper with 37-year-old Lloris coming to the end of his career.
The Frenchman, who is currently sidelined with a knee injury, will only have a year left on his contract in the summer.
Tottenham have been linked with several potential targets, including Brentford’s David Raya, Everton’s Jordan Pickford, and most recently, AC Milan keeper Mike Maignan.
However, Mendy would arguably be the best option, as he has a better record in terms of winning trophies and has the most experience in the Champions League.
Currently, there is no indication of how much Chelsea would be willing to accept for the goalkeeper this summer, although Transfermarkt value him at £25m.
In reality though, given his recent injuries, the Blues would do well to recoup the £22m they spent on him but will be hopeful given he has two years remaining on his contract.
Tottenham would probably have a much greater chance of signing Mendy if they qualify for the Champions League. So, it will be interesting to see if Antonio Conte’s side can hang on to their fourth-place spot.
READ MORE: Ranking every Tottenham player by how much they earn in 2022-23