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There’s reason for optimism that the towering goalkeeper can help the Blues to Champions League success on Saturday, but Senegal’s number one hasn’t always had things so easy during his journey to the top.
Edouard Mendy was on the edge of giving up his dream six years ago. After 12 months without a club, his career was at a dead end. Soon to be a father, and with no idea how he was going to support his pregnant partner, he moved back into his parents’ flat in the Le Havre suburb of Caucriauville.
In the summer of 2014, Mendy was released by French third-tier side, Cherbourg, leaving him as a free agent. At a loose end, the agent who was supposed to find him a new opportunity stopped any contact, and it was not long before the goalkeeper found himself training alone and fretting about how he could possibly provide for a young family.
It was a daunting period for the Chelsea shot-stopper, who was forced to take an unemployment benefit, and in 2015, he was close to accepting a job in a menswear shop offered by a friend.
That same year, fate intervened. Former Cherbourg teammate, Ted Lavie contacted an old friend, Dominique Bernatowicz, Marseille’s goalkeeping coach, who at the time were on the lookout for a third/fourth choice goalkeeper.
Bernatowicz soon saw that Mendy, who began at Le Havre’s academy, was blessed with talent, resilience and a ravenous desire to improve.
“From the first training session I could see he was a cut above,” he told The Guardian.
“The next step was to throw him in with the professionals. They couldn’t understand why he didn’t have a club.”
Marseille listened and offered a reasonable contract, providing Mendy with an aspect of security.
After spending time with Marseille, he joined Ligue 2 club, Reims in 2016 and his chance arrived when first-choice goalkeeper, Johann Carrasso, was sent off against Amiens on the opening day. Mendy impressed and became a regular the following campaign, helping Reims win promotion in 2018 as well as keeping 19 clean sheets.
His performances raised a few eyebrows, attracting the attention of many football supporters and clubs. In 2018, Senegal jumped at the chance to select him after realising he had not played in an official FIFA game when he made his debut for Guinea-Bissau in 2016. Mendy established himself as Senegal’s number one and he attracted interest from Porto and Christophe Lollichon, Chelsea’s goalkeeping coach.
Despite this interest, Mendy opted to remain in his birth country of France and join Rennes in the summer of 2019, where he played an important role in their Champions League qualification last season.
Though, a year on and Chelsea were ready to steady their interest. With Kepa Arrizabalaga struggling between the sticks, they needed someone to challenge the Spaniard and decided to move for Mendy on the recommendation of Petr Cech, their technical and performance adviser.
Mendy quickly dislodged Arrizabalaga after joining for £22m and has impressed in his first campaign in blue, keeping 16 clean sheets in his first Premier League campaign.
Similarly, having kept more clean sheets than any other goalkeeper in the Champions League so far. Chelsea boss Thomas Tuchel will surely be counting on his goalkeeper to demonstrate the same qualities of resiliency and tenacity that he has exhibited earlier in his career as the German coach looks to restore silverware to Stamford Bridge on Saturday.
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