Edouard Mendy, the Senegal goalkeeper, has left Chelsea after three years to join Saudi Pro League club Al-Ahli.
Mendy, 31, is the most recent high-profile player to relocate to the country, following former Blues colleagues Kalidou Koulibaly and N’Golo Kante, who both moved during the current transfer window.
In 2020-21, he won the Champions League and had 49 clean sheets in 105 games.
Mendy was later crowned Uefa’s goalkeeper of the season as well as the Best Fifa Men’s Goalkeeper for 2021.
In 2020, he joined the Blues from French club Rennes after winning the Africa Cup of Nations with Senegal. In the penalty shootout, he made the game-winning stop as Senegal defeated Egypt.
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He fell out of favor at Stamford Bridge after Thomas Tuchel was dismissed as manager by Graham Potter in September 2022. He completed last season as Kepa Arrizabalaga’s backup and made just three Premier League starts when Potter took over.
The Premier League team described the goalie as a “hugely likeable character” in a statement on its website.
“Having started his career in the lower tiers of French football – and even spending several months without a club – Mendy rose to the pinnacle of European football with Chelsea,” the club explained.
“He will always have a place in our history for his significant contributions to our 2021 Champions League triumph.”
“We are grateful for that, as well as everything else.” Best wishes, Edou!”
Former Blues teammate Koulibaly and former Wolves player Ruben Neves have both decided to join Al-Hilal, while Kante has agreed to join Saudi league champions Al-Ittihad alongside former Real Madrid striker Karim Benzema.
Blues winger Hakim Ziyech is also allegedly being pursued by teams in Saudi Arabia.
Spurs player Son Heung-min stated earlier this month that he does not want to move to Saudi Arabia, while Lionel Messi joined Inter Miami after turning down a more lucrative offer to move to the kingdom.
