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Benjamin Mendy joined Monaco on a five-year contract from Marseille last summer.
Benjamin Mendy joined Monaco on a five-year contract from Marseille last summer. Photograph: Franck Fife/AFP/Getty Images
Benjamin Mendy joined Monaco on a five-year contract from Marseille last summer. Photograph: Franck Fife/AFP/Getty Images

Benjamin Mendy set to join Manchester City from Monaco in record £52m deal

This article is more than 6 years old

France left-back set for medical before proposed move
Aleksandar Kolarov joins Roma as City close on Danilo

Manchester City have agreed a £52m (€57.5m) fee with Monaco for Benjamin Mendy, with the France international set for a medical this week before his proposed move. Pep Guardiola had identified the 23-year-old left-back as one of his transfer priorities at the end of last season following the departure of Gaël Clichy but City had three bids turned down for the player who joined Monaco last season for £11m.

The third – a £44.5m offer – was rejected on Thursday, with the French champions demanding a fee in excess of the £50m City paid Tottenham for Kyle Walker last week. Late interest from Chelsea, who have been so far frustrated in their attempts to sign the Brazil international Alex Sandro from Juventus, prompted City to increase their offer for Mendy, meaning he will become the most expensive defender in history when the deal is complete.

Born in Paris, Mendy came through Le Havre’s youth system before moving to Marseille in 2013. He made more than 100 appearances in three seasons before signing a five-year contract at Monaco last summer. They won Ligue 1 for the first time since 2000 and reached the Champions League semi-finals, although Mendy now looks set to become the latest high-profile departure from that side after Portugal forward Bernardo Silva’s move to City for £42m and Chelsea’s signing of midfielder Tiemoué Bakayoko for £34m.

City are also closing on the Real Madrid defender Danilo. Zinedine Zidane confirmed on Saturday Danilo has left Real Madrid’s camp in Los Angeles and will have a medical with City. “Danilo has gone and Morata too,” he said while assessing the state of his squad. City will pay £26.5m for the 26-year-old for Danilo to take their summer spending past £200m.

Aleksandar Kolarov left the City tour party in Houston on Saturday to fly to Boston to join up with Roma, where he has completed a £5.2m deal to join the Serie A club.

“When I came in 2010, honestly, I didn’t expect to play so long,” Kolarov said. “Today is the day I have to say goodbye. Everything was quick the last couple of days. For me, it’s a very sad day.

“In every part of the club we have improved not 100% but 200%. Now we are a far better club than what we were when I came. I am proud that I was part of making City the club that it is. For me it was a great pleasure to play for this shirt.”

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