Edouard Mendy has already put everyone in agreement with the Blues

Arrived at the end of September, Edouard Mendy made a strong impression on his debut with Chelsea.

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• Transferred from Rennes to Chelsea at the end of September for 24 million euros, goalkeeper Edouard Mendy finds his former partners this Wednesday in the Champions League.

• The Senegalese goalkeeper made a strong impression on his debut for the Blues.

• In addition to his sporting qualities, all those who worked with him praise his human values.

How are you Edou?

Well rest assured (or not if you are a Rennes supporter), the Chelsea goalkeeper is in good shape when he meets his former partners in the Champions League this Wednesday evening.

Arrived at the Blues at the end of September for the tidy sum of 24 million euros (plus six million bonus), a record for a Ligue 1 goalkeeper, Edouard Mendy has already put everyone in agreement in England.

Starting with his coach Franck Lampard.

"He has shown that he is already very complete even though I am sure he will improve," the former England international said at a press conference on Tuesday.

He's made a great start with us and he has a great attitude, full of humility ”.

🧤 Most consecutive clean sheets for Chelsea

🤦‍♂️ Kepa Arrizabalaga - 3 (from 98 apps)

🙌 Edouard Mendy - 5 (from 6 apps) pic.twitter.com/TGN4Pe5gO6

- WhoScored.com (@WhoScored) October 31, 2020

After six games, Edouard Mendy has indeed posted monstrous statistics with already five clean sheets and only one goal conceded in the derby against Tottenham in the Cup, relegating poor Kepa Arrizabalaga to the bench.

It must be said that the Spanish goalkeeper, bought for 80 million euros in 2018 from Athletic Bilbao, has also done everything to get stung his place.

“He had a good first season but it was catastrophic last year,” said Kevin Epara, co-president of the Chelsea France Supporters Club.

He made a lot of mistakes which cost us points and he totally lost the confidence of his defense ”.

The outbreak in Reims after years of hardship

It did not take more for Edouard Mendy to demonstrate the full extent of his talent in the Premier League.

“Chelsea defenders are much more comfortable with a goalkeeper coming out of line and intercepting high balloons,” said Liam Twomey, reporter for

.

He also positions himself very well on one against one against the attackers ”.

Performances that do not surprise Sébastien Hamel, the goalkeeper coach of the Stade de Reims.

"What he achieves at Chelsea, he was already doing at home but we talked less of course," he says.

At the time, the Senegalese porter had all the same already caught the eye of Christophe Lollichon.

"When you are close to 2 meters, with such a game in the foot, such a placement and taking initiative as he has, if recruiters do not look at him, it is because they have to change jobs", had declared the coach of the goalkeepers of the Blues to our colleagues of the Phocéen, considering him as "the best goalkeeper of the championship of France".

What a rise for Édouard Mendy 🇸🇳:

• 2015: unemployment

• 2016: transferred from the OM reserve to Reims

• 2019: transferred from Reims to Rennes.

• 2020: play C3 and qualified in C1

• 2020: signature at Chelsea pic.twitter.com/MEt3iVHtxE

- BeFoot (@_BeFoot) September 24, 2020

Before blossoming at the highest level in Reims and subsequently confirming at Stade Rennais, Edouard Mendy nevertheless had a lot of problems, lugging his tall figure in the lower divisions and even spending several months unemployed.

A rather unusual course from which Edouard Mendy drew his strength according to Sébastien Hamel.

“In terms of mentality, he's a great guy, assures the former goalkeeper of Auxerre and Marseille.

He uses this experience to never give up and always be positive.

And when he speaks in the locker room, especially to the youngest, he is credible because he has known everything ”.

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A great man" according to Julien Stéphan

On the announcement of his departure for England, Rennes coach Julien Stéphan had praised Edouard Mendy.

"We are losing a very good goalkeeper, a great man, someone who was very important in the locker room," said the Breton coach, obviously disappointed to lose him but also happy for him.

“He has always relied on very strong values: respect, hard work, uprightness, because he has always remained very straight Edouard, continued Julien Stéphan.

He is rewarded for all the efforts he has made during his career ”.

In the locker room of the Blues, who broke their piggy bank this summer to get a makeover (Thiago Silva, Ziyech, Havertz…), Edou Mendy seems in any case to have already seduced his partners.

“He's a great guy,” assures German striker Timo Werner.

You can talk to him very easily, he is very calm ”.

Even the coach Lampard, not known to be the most tender, seems to have fallen under the spell.

"He's always smiling and he always has a positive attitude towards the other players, I love that positive side".

Barely started, the love story between Edou and Chelsea therefore seems to have a bright future.

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