Real Madrid manager Carlo Ancelotti was clear that he was happy with French defender Ferland Mendy on Wednesday, but talk around an exit for the Frenchman persists. Mendy has a year left on his deal this summer, and it has been said that Los Blancos have been keen to move him on for the past 12 months.
Ancelotti called him ‘the best defensive full-back in the world’, praising Mendy, who has come back into the side of late. Yet it is well-known that Alphonso Davies is one of their top targets for the summer, and they intend to try and sign the Canadian from Bayern Munich for €40-50m. Cadena SER say that Real Madrid may try to cheapen the deal by trading Mendy for Davies as part of it.
In Germany, BILD (via Diario AS) say that Davies has now turned down 5 renewal offers from Bayern. Yet the Bavarian giants do not want to be bullied into giving him a salary of €13-14m annual salary by Real Madrid’s interest. Los Blancos have reportedly asked him not to re-sign in order to facilitate a deal. Nevertheless, Bayern will still attempt to strike a new deal.
It is not yet clear whether either player or Bayern would be open to that, and the latest word is that Mendy is keen to remain in the Spanish capital. Were Bayern to accept such a deal, they would be getting a vastly different full-back, albeit on significantly cheaper wages. Mendy has been hampered by persistent injuries for much of the past two years though, which is part of the reason Los Blancos are keen to find a replacement for the 28-year-old.
According to at least two different sources, Davies salary is €11.25M. He’s 11th on Bayern’s list. Only one player above him (Kim) is close to his salary, and Kim has only been there for one season. The next closest wage is De Ligt’s €16M. Is Bayern seriously raising a fuss about a player who’s started for them for 4-5 years now getting a modest increase that would still leave him 10th on their wage list? Fuck off!
I would gladly have him at Madrid, so it’s not that I’m bothered from that POV, this just feels like very weak sauce on Bayern’s part. I’m guessing it’s more likely that, with a new management staff in, Davies is interested in a new pursuit now.