Mendy undergoing Chelsea medical to complete £22m transfer from Rennes as Lampard confirms he can start vs West Brom
FRANK LAMPARD has confirmed Edouard Mendy is undergoing his medical following a £22million move to Chelsea and will be available for the West Brom game on Saturday.
The 6ft 6in Senegalese stopper, 28, is set to sign a five-year contract at the Blues.
And Lampard confirmed Mendy could play as early as Saturday in the Premier League trip to West Brom.
The goalkeeper must first pass his medical and return a negative test for coronavirus.
Lampard said that all being well, they would be able to welcome Mendy by Thursday - just in time for Saturday's league game.
The Chelsea chief revealed the news while insisting under-fire Kepa Arrizabalaga still has a role in the team and "wants to improve".
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Lampard said: "I think competition is a regular thing at a club like Chelsea.
"The goalkeeper situation isn’t always as clear cut as that... Kepa himself wants to improve his own performances.
"It’s in everyone’s hands to push and develop to try and get in the team.
"I am not making any final statements at all in this minute.
"It is the hardest position because of the individual nature of it and mistakes get punished with goals.
"I understand that and as a manager I have to be sympathetic to that point. I am very aware of that.
"As far as I'm aware, as long as [Mendy] passes his test with us on Thursday and if that is negative then he should be OK to play."
Mendy becomes Chelsea's SEVENTH signing of the summer in a monster £222m splurge.
Centre-backs Thiago Silva and Malang Sarr were snapped up on frees.
Hakim Ziyech cost £36m to sign from Ajax, with £45m spent on Leicester’s Ben Chilwell.
Meanwhile, Chelsea paid £47m to release Timo Werner from his RB Leipzig contract.
They then matched their club transfer record by shelling out £72m on Bayer Leverkusen’s Kai Havertz.