Saudi Arabia’s Al Hilal have signed goalkeeper, Edouard Mendy from Chelsea for an undisclosed transfer fee.
Al Hilal’s move for Mendy brings his three-year stay at Chelsea to an end, in which he made 105 appearances for the Blues – including starts in their 2020-21 UEFA Champions League, UEFA Super Cup and FIFA Club World Cup successes.
Shoulder and finger injuries during the second half of last season however saw him lose his role as first-choice goalkeeper to his long-time rival, Kepa Arrizabalaga who coincidentally found himself playing second fiddle to Mendy for much of the last three seasons.
Chelsea’s new incoming manager, Mauricio Pochettino however has decided to dispense with both Mendy and Arrizabalaga’s services as part of a squad revamp, which has led Al Hilal to move for Mendy who has signed a three-year contract until June 2026.
It is reported that Al Hilal paid between £16-17m for Mendy following discussions with Chelsea.
Mendy leaves Stamford Bridge having kept 49 clean sheets in 105 appearances across all competitions.
Chelsea issued a brief statement in which they said: “Having started his career in the lower tiers of French football – and even spending several months without a club – Mendy rose to the pinnacle of European football with Chelsea.
“A hugely likeable character on and off the pitch, he will always have a place in our history for his significant contributions to our 2021 Champions League triumph.
“For that, and for everything else, we are grateful. Good luck, Edou! ”
Mendy meanwhile took to Instagram to post the following farewell message, in which he paid tribute to his teammates and even ex owner, Roman Abrahimovich.
Across his three-year stint at Chelsea, Mendy made 21 international appearances for Senegal during which he was part of their 2021 Africa Cup of Nations winning team, plus started all four of Senegal’s matches at 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar.
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