Star has ‘quickly got over’ failed £2.5m Sunderland move as he wins Player of the Month.
Sunderland know from experience that, without a reliable centre-forward, a season can quickly turn into a struggle.
With Ross Stewart sold and the Black Cats’ existing forwards struggling to fill his boots, Sunderland slumped to a 16th place finish in the 2023/24 Championship campaign.
Only seven teams, meanwhile, scored fewer than their 52 goals in England’s second tier.
That goes some way to explaining why the Wearsiders tried to so hard to bring Alexandre Mendy across the Channel before August’s transfer deadline. Sunderland reportedly failed with an offer in the region of £2.5 million for Mendy.
Caen refused to entertain bids for a striker who, after winning the Golden Boot in France’s second tier, had made no secret of his desire for a fresh start in England.
It is too Mendy’s credit, then, that he has bounced back as strong and as prolific as ever since the window closed.
Nice’s French forward Alexandre Mendy celebrates after scoring his second goal during the French League Cup football match between Caen (SM Caen) a…
Photo credit should read CHARLY TRIBALLEAU/AFP via Getty Images
Caen boss says Nicolas Mendy has recovered from failed Sunderland switch
After four goals in six appearances, Mendy claimed the Player of the Month award.
And Caen coach Nicolas Seube is simply counting his blessings, delighted to retain a player who, after a poor start to the campaign for his club, could be the difference between success and failure this term.
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“Is he indispensable? I didn’t really say that – ‘indispensable’ – but it’s clear that he’s a goalscorer,” Seube tells reporters. “And, when you don’t have a goalscorer, you’re in trouble.
“That’s the reality.”
“Alex is a competitor. he’s a very human boy, and he also has a personal goal to aim for,” adds the Caen coach. “I think he quickly got over the transfer window. and that he’s very much in love with this club. That’s a strength.
“He’s staying in ideal conditions for him. His family feels good here and you can feel it on the pitch every day. People love him.”
Mendy, it must be said, has a rather different take on the drama of the summer window.
The late-blooming poacher admitted back in September that he was suffering from the ‘after-effects’ of missing out on his dream move. Mendy was yet to come to terms with that aborted switch to Sunderland.
But, much to Seube’s delight, he is not letting such disappointment affect his performances.
One more goal, meanwhile, will make Mendy officially the highest scoring player in Caen’s entire history, overtaking Seube’s former team-mate Cyriel Watier.
“I hope he’ll beat that record. Sorry again Cyril!” Seube smiles. “But, after a while, records are made to fall. And I hope that Alex will make them fall and that he allows us to win matches.”
Regis le Bris hopes Aaron Connolly shines at Sunderland
With 18 to their name so far, Sunderland are the most prolific team in the Championship at present.
But, while the goals have spread around pretty impressively so far, there is still a nagging concern that the slump of last season could be repeated without an obvious 20-goal-a-season attacker at Le Bris’ disposal.
That, however, is where recent free-agent signing Aaron Connolly could come in.
“We know the market for strikers is very difficult so we we were not in a rush to find [any] one striker. We wanted to find the right striker,” Le Bris told reporters when asked about Connolly’s arrival at the Stadium of Light.
“Aaron could be this one. He has many qualities, he’s a very talented player and he has a very interesting pathway from before.
“Now I think that he is here in a good condition and with all of the experiences behind him, we hope that he can be a good player.”
