Chelsea agree deal to sign goalkeeper Edouard Mendy from Rennes for just over £20m

Chelsea have finally agreed a deal to sign goalkeeper Edouard Mendy from French club Rennes.

Following weeks of haggling, Mendy will join for a fee just over £20million with the 28-year-old now due to arrive in London to complete a medical.

The signing of Mendy has been made on the recommendation of technical and performance advisor Petr Cech, along with his old coach Christophe Lollichon, who still works for Chelsea.

Chelsea head coach Frank Lampard had wanted a new goalkeeper following a string of disappointing performances from Kepa Arrizabalaga, the latest of which came in the victory over Brighton.

Mendy will now battle it out with Kepa for the Chelsea No 1 spot, with the club hoping the extra competition will bring out the best in both men.

Another of Chelsea’s summer signings Timo Werner has become the latest high-profile footballer to join Common Goal.

Werner has joined the charitable movement, launched by former Chelsea and Manchester United midfielder Juan Mata, that uses football to help vulnerable children and young people across the world.

Members of Common Goal donate a minimum of one per cent of their salaries to a collective fund that invests in high-impact charities.

Striker Werner, who is believed to earn around £170,000-a-week at Chelsea, has become the club’s first men’s player to join Common Goal along with Chelsea Women stars Magda Eriksson and Pernille Harder.

“I feel very privileged that I can live my dream playing in the Premier League for Chelsea,” said Werner, who joined Chelsea from RB Leipzig. “At the same time, I am very conscious of the fact that there are people all over the world currently struggling to tackle the consequences of the coronavirus pandemic. That’s why I would like to help as best I can through Common Goal.

“The great thing about the movement is that I decide where my money goes. There are certain issues that particularly move me and I am also interested in supporting and kicking off projects in Stuttgart and Leipzig. The more famous footballers get involved, the more awareness we can raise for Common Goal. And if just one player or fan donates 10 Euros because Timo Werner is involved, then that’s great.”

Werner will make his Stamford Bridge debut for Chelsea on Sunday against Liverpool, who are managed by another member of Common Goal Jurgen Klopp,