Batista Mendy in a friendly against Brest in July 2019. -

Maxime Le Pihif / SIPA

  • Batista Mendy, a 20-year-old FCN prospect, was sent back to reserve ten days ago.

  • The midfielder refuses for the moment to extend, a choice which does not please the direction of the FCN.

Last weekend, he was not even summoned with the FC Nantes reserve.

Midfielder Batista Mendy (20), trained in Jonelière, has completely disappeared from the radar.

For ten days, he has not even been with the pro group, with which he has been training since this summer, and has been invited to join the workforce of N2 Pierre Aristouy.

Why ?

Because the native of Saint-Nazaire, who is at the end of his contract in June, refuses to extend.

According to information from

20 Minutes

, the reserve coach was asked not to summon him last weekend ...

This Thursday noon, at a press conference, the coach Christian Gourcuff confirmed that the player was dismissed for "a contractual problem".

Then, he developed: “If you have a player who does training and who leaves when he can return to the club, that is a concern.

It is not only Nantes which is faced with this since it is a regulatory problem.

There is no longer a trainee contract.

From an aspirant, you can go pro.

Three years maximum.

If that happens at 16, at 19, a player can find himself free.

So what is the contribution of training?

Clubs have understood this.

They don't do training anymore.

They buy players in training. "

When contacted, Batista Mendy's agent never responded. 

An about-face in 2018

On September 13, in Monaco, Batista Mendy had yet made his first appearance with the pros in Ligue 1. He replaced Abdoulaye Touré in the 61st.

He had confided to

20 Minutes

 over the phone a few days after his happiness at having finally tasted, at 20, the elite: “I had to mature in my game. I knew it was going to come.

"

In 2018, Mendy almost joined Brighton to sign a 3-year contract.

He had changed his mind at the last moment, caught by the sleeve by some educators from La Jonelière, including the director of the training center Samuel Fenillat.

In July 2018, he then entered pro with the Canaries for 3 years.

In 2014, the management of FC Nantes had also fired Adrien Trebel as a reserve team because he refused to extend his lease.

A blow of pressure which had not had the desired effect because the midfielder had left free then.

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