Edouard Mendy is set for a return to Chelsea training in two weeks
Edouard Mendy is set for a return to Chelsea training in the next two weeks following finger surgery but his future at the club is UNCERTAIN after failed contract talks and the Blues set to prioritise a new back-up stopper in summer
- Edouard Mendy has only played five matches under Blues boss Graham Potter
- Talks over a new deal with have fallen through despite a new incentivised offer
- Chelsea fans bemoan the side’s luck with injuries after Thiago Silva is forced off
Edouard Mendy hopes to get the all-clear to resume full training within the next fortnight.
Goalkeeper Mendy has been sidelined since the start of the year after breaking his finger in training, a setback that required an operation in France.
Mendy has been able to begin light training alone and targeted work to assess how his injury is healing.
Mendy is progressing positively and how he continues to respond and also regains his general fitness will determine how soon he is able to re-join Graham Potter’s first team group.
Mendy has hardly featured for Potter, with a shoulder problem and then the finger injury limiting him to just five appearances under the former Brighton boss.
Edouard Mendy is set for a return to training in the next two weeks following finger surgery
Mendy has featured only five times under Graham Potter since the Englishman took over
In his absence Kepa Arrizabalaga has taken over as first choice and enjoyed a regular run of starts since September.
And Kepa is deemed to have performed sufficiently so far, leaving Chelsea currently planning to prioritise bringing in a backup goalkeeper in the summer. What impact Mendy’s future may have on that remains to be seen.
Talks over a new contract for Mendy, who turned 31 on Wednesday, have failed to result in an agreement after a number of incentivised offers were turned down.
Mendy, named the world’s best goalkeeper a year ago after a stunning start to this Chelsea career following his 2020 move from Rennes, will enter the final two years of his contract in the summer.
Kepa Arrizabalaga has taken over the formal role of No 1 keeper at the club in Mendy’s absence
Andrey Santos has rejoined former club Vasca da Gama on loan after failing to secure a work permit
One area of squad planning Chelsea’s owners are aiming to address is to make decisions on players by that point preventing them getting any closer to the expiry of their deals.
Chelsea have had initial discussions over the future of third choice Marcus Bettinelli whose contract expires at the end of this season.
They also bolstered their goalkeeping department with the signing of highly-rated US youngster Gabriel Slonina who joined up with Chelsea full-time in January and has featured three times for their under-21s.
Meanwhile, another January arrival, midfielder Andrey Santos, has re-joined former club Vasca da Gama on loan after he was unable to secure a work permit following his £18m move.
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