Lyon left-back Ferland Mendy has agreed to join Real Madrid according to AS , with Zinedine Zidane snapping up the France international to kick-start his revolution during his second spell in charge in the Spanish capital.
The 23-year-old has long been targeted by Zidane as he seeks competition for long-serving Brazilian international Marcelo, who often found himself out of the side under previous bosses Julen Lopetegui and Santiago Solari, and recently turned 31.
Homegrown youngster Sergio Reguilon often got game-time in the position during the 2018/19 campaign, but AS claim that he will head out on loan next season once he’s penned a new deal and the move for Mendy is finalised.
Zidane reportedly sees Mendy as a key addition as he looks to add a youthful element to his ageing side.
(Image: Ian Langsdon/EPA-EFE/REX/Shutterstock)
Lyon president Jean-Michael Aulas has claimed that three of the club’s star men will leave the Ligue 1 side this summer, with Mandy, Nabil Fekir and Tanguy Ndombele all expected to depart.
Mendy joined Lyon from Ligue 2 side Le Havre in 2017, and has been a regular in the side over the last two camapaign.
(Image: REUTERS)
He also earned his first call-up to the French senior team in November of last year following the withdrawal of his namesake, the Manchester City defender Benjamin Mendy, and ended up playing the full 90 minutes of the world champions’ 1-0 friendly victory over Uruguay in Paris.
Real have already snapped up Porto’s Brazilian defender Eder Militao and his compatriot, the forward Rodrygo Goes for the new season.
Zidane is under huge pressure to rebuild the squad amid rumours that senior stars such as Gareth Bale and Sergio Ramos could both depart the club this summer.
