Real Madrid sign Ferland Mendy from Olympique Lyon

Ferland Mendy has joined Real Madrid. Los Blancos have reached an agreement with Olympique Lyon for the transfer of the French left-back and have issued a statement to confirm the news. The operation was believed to have been concluded for a fee of 48 million euros plus a further five million euros in add-ons and bonuses.

Mendy into Real Madrid defence

The defender will sign, like his new teammates Eden Hazard, Eder Militao and Luka Jovic, for six seasons, until 2025. He will be officially presented on Wednesday 19 June at 13:00 hours CEST (07:00 ET).

Both Zinedine Zidane and his assistant, David Bettoni, have been very clear that the full-back was a key target for this summer's rebuild at the Santiago Bernabéu, his age and contractual situation making him an attractive option. The French coach had already had a couple of conversations with the player to convince him that a move was in his best interests.

Although Madrid have been successful, the player had received various offers from other elite clubs around Europe. Juventus and PSG (a club where he played as a youth) both made their interest clear, while LaLiga champions Barcelona lost out once again to their capital rivals. Mendy's desire to be part of the French side in the 2020 European Championships, was a potential obstacle, but the Zidane's confidence about featuring in the first team, a role on a par with that of Marcelo, helped him to accept Madrid's offer.

The conflicting voices during negotiations

The negotiations between Madrid and Lyon appeared to hit a hurdle last Tuesday, when the French club issued a statement denying any agreement existed, which contrasted with reports of the player attending a medical that day under the supervision of a Madrid doctor. These types of contradictions are common during transfer negotiations - as we saw with the recent Jovic signing - as both sides focus on the public message that best aids their situation. There had also been concerns over a hip injury.