Manchester City make Benjamin Mendy most expensive defender

Benjamin Mendy is Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola's third defensive signing in the current summer transfer window following the arrivals of Kyle Walker and right back Danilo from Real Madrid.

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Benjamin Mendy made a name for himself at Marseille where he played 101 games. (Source: AP)

Manchester City once again broke bank to bolster their defensive lineup as they signed Benjamin Mendy from Monaco for a reported fee of 52 million pounds. This comes a few weeks after the blue half of Manchester spent 50 million pounds in acquiring his services from Tottenham Hotspur who had then become the most expensive defender. The club signed Mendy, a left-back, on a five-year contract.

Mendy is now Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola’s third defensive signing in the current summer transfer window following the arrivals of Walker and right back Danilo from Real Madrid.

“I am absolutely delighted to be joining Manchester City,” Mendy said on the club’s website. “They are one of Europe’s leading clubs and in Pep Guardiola they have a manager committed to playing attacking football. “I am sure that over the next few years we will be successful.”

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Mendy began his career with French club Le Havre who now ply their trade in the second division. He moved to Marseille in 2013 where he made 101 appearances over three seasons and made his mark. There he established himself as one of the best defenders in France.

He moved to Monaco in 2016 on a five-year contract where he made 25 appearances. In a fantastic season for the Principality of Monaco, he went on to achieve silverware by winning the Ligue 1 and reaching the semifinals of the UEFA Champions League.

“Benjamin has all the qualities we are looking for in a full-back,” City’s director of football Txiki Begiristain said.
“For such a young player, he has a wealth of top-level experience. He is undoubtedly one of the world’s best full-backs, our number one target in this position.”