City defence most expensive in history with Mendy arrival
IN SANTA CLARA MANCHESTER CITY have the most expensive defence in history after Benjamin Mendy completed his £49.9m (€56m) move yesterday.
City now have four of the five most costly defenders ever bought.
The France left-back’s arrival from Monaco takes City’s spending to a staggering £217m (€243m), with Pep Guardiola having spent almost £130m (€145m) on three full-backs in only 10 days.
Mendy, whose fee could rise to £52m (€58m), joins a defence already boasting Kyle Walker, who joined from Spurs this month in a deal that could reach £54m (€60m), as well as John Stones, for whom City paid Everton £47.5m last summer, rising to £50m.
City also paid £42m for Eliaquim Mangala in 2014, although they are now trying to offload the France centre-half for a cut-price £18m (€20m).
It leaves David Luiz, for whom Paris St-Germain paid Chelsea £50m in 2014, as the only one of the world’s most expensive five defenders not playing for City, whose defence also includes goalkeeper Ederson Moraes, for whom Guardiola paid a British record £34.7m (€39m) earlier in the summer. EXORBITANT City are still in the market for another centre-half because, for all their exorbitant expenditure, they still remain hugely reliant at the back on captain Vincent Kompany, whom Guardiola is hoping will stay fit after a succession of injury woes.
City made three offers for Mendy (below) before Monaco finally accepted a fourth bid after weeks of protracted negotiations.
The 23-year-old, who has signed a five-year contract, will wear the No 22 shirt and is City’s only recognised senior left-back after the departures of Gael Clichy and Aleksandar Kolarov.
Right-back Danilo, who completed a £25.9m (€29m) move from Real Madrid last weekend, can provide cover.
City director of football Txiki Begiristain said: “Benjamin has all the qualities we are looking for in a full-back.
“For such a young player, he has a wealth of top-level experience. He is undoubtedly one of the world’s best full-backs, our number-one target in this position. We are all delighted to have him here at Manchester City. I’m sure he will prove a fantastic addition to the squad.”
Mendy is confident he will settle in quickly. “I think I am the right person for the group,” he said. “I am easily adaptable and I can bring a lot of creativity in the game. I can offer different solutions. I am a leader, someone who always has a smile on his face.”
Meanwhile, Everton have made a second bid, worth £45m (€50m), for Swansea midfielder Gylfi Sigurdsson.
Ronald Koeman is offering £40m (€45m) plus £5m (€5.6m) in add-ons for the Iceland international as he attempts to bring in his priority target of the summer.
Swansea are demanding £50m (€56m) for the 27-year-old but Everton are hopeful an increased bid will succeed. (© Daily Telegraph, London)