Saudi Arabian club Al-Ahli secures Chelsea's Edouard Mendy

Edouard Mendy, the talented Senegal goalkeeper, has bid farewell to Chelsea after a successful three-year stint and has officially joined Al-Ahli, a prominent team in the Saudi Pro League. 

The move to Saudi Arabia marks another significant transfer of a high-profile player to the country, following in the footsteps of former Chelsea teammates Kalidou Koulibaly and N'Golo Kante, who also departed during this transfer window.

During his time at Chelsea, Mendy achieved remarkable feats, most notably winning the prestigious UEFA Champions League in the 2020-2021 season. With an impressive record of 49 clean sheets in 105 games, his performances earned him recognition as UEFA's goalkeeper of the season and the Best FIFA Men's Keeper for 2021. 

Prior to joining Chelsea, Mendy played for the French side Rennes and was an instrumental part of the Senegal national team that secured victory in the Africa Cup of Nations, where he made a decisive save in the penalty shootout against Egypt.

However, following the managerial change at Chelsea, with Graham Potter replacing Thomas Tuchel in September 2022, Mendy found himself out of favour at Stamford Bridge. He ended up being relegated to the backup position behind Kepa Arrizabalaga, resulting in only three top-flight starts throughout the last season under Potter's leadership.

Chelsea expressed their appreciation for Mendy's contributions in an official statement on their website. They acknowledged his journey from the lower tiers of French football, including a period without a club, to his rise to the pinnacle of European football with Chelsea. 

The Premier League club described him as a "hugely likeable character" and emphasised his significant role in their triumph in the 2021 Champions League, stating that he will forever hold a special place in the club's history.

In other transfer news involving former Chelsea players, Kalidou Koulibaly and Ruben Neves recently joined Al-Hilal, while N'Golo Kante agreed to a deal with Al-Ittihad, the reigning champions of the Saudi league. The Saudi interest doesn't stop there, as reports suggest that Hakim Ziyech, the Blues' winger, is also attracting attention from teams in Saudi Arabia.