Benjamin Mendy ‘rejected Chelsea to join Manchester City because of Pep Guardiola’, reveals Monaco chief
Vice-president Vadim Vasilyev has revealed the conversations he had with the French international before his £49.3million move
BENJAMIN MENDY would have rejected a move to Chelsea because he was so determined to join Manchester City.
Monaco vice-president Vadim Vasilyev has revealed the conversations he had with the French international before his £49.3million switch to the Etihad.
And Vasilyev explained how there was only ever one Premier League destination for the 23-year-old defender — and it was Pep Guardiola that swayed his decision.
Vasilyev told L'Equipe: "When we sold Bernardo Silva and Tiemoue Bakayoko, it was okay. The third possible departure was Mendy.
"We resisted, and then, given the offers we had for him and his willingness to leave, we wondered if he would be able to repeat the form of last season.
"He's a good kid, and one of the best players at his position, but you can never be sure of the player's psychology.
"It was not only a good offer, it was the championship of his dreams, the coach of his dreams.
"These are complex decisions. At first, I said, 'No, you're staying'.
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"He replied: 'But Vadim, I really want to go to City with Guardiola'.
"Several times he said to me: 'If it was Chelsea, I would stay, but this is Guardiola, I want to go there.' He was frank with me.
"So, when City put that price, when he became the most expensive defender in the world, I had no more arguments to oppose it. We weighed the pros and cons and we told him he could leave."
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