Watford are poised to sign midfielder Nampalys Mendy following the free agent’s exit from RC Lens.
Centre-mid is one area of Paulo Pezzolano’s squad that hasn’t been reinforced recently. Not since the arrival of his initial summer signing, Hector Kyprianou, have the Hornets expanded their choices in the middle of the pitch. That is now set to shift with the addition of Mendy.
The 33-year-old Senegalese international has agreed a contract with the Championship team to return to England, according to Fabrizio Romano.
Mendy joined Leicester City the summer after they won the Premier League as a potential replacement for N’Golo Kante. He remained at the King Power Stadium for seven years before moving back to France to join Lens.
Watford set to sign ex-Leicester midfielder Nampalys Mendy:
Romano added that Mendy will sign a one-year agreement with Watford, and that a medical has been scheduled for Wednesday. The club will also have an option to extend his tenure by an additional year.
Pezzolano has selected from a fairly consistent group of centre-mids in the opening few matches of the new season. Three of Kyprianou, the captain, Moussa Sissoko, Imran Louza, and Edo Kayembe have occupied the starting roles in all of the league games for the Uruguayan coach.
Mendy’s arrival will mean that Watford have two 33-year-olds on their roster, with Tom Ince being the other seasoned midfield leader. Sissoko, 36, also brings a wealth of experience to the first-team, which should offer even more equilibrium to a squad that is filled with young talent.
Louza, who was suspended for Watford’s last match against Swansea City, is the subject of some transfer interest from Russian side Lokomotiv Moscow, as per L’Equipe. They are said to be in negotiations with the Hornets over a £5.2 million deal for the Moroccan, who has been with the club since the summer of 2021.
Nampalys Mendy arrival provides cover in case Imran Louza departs:
One of their most reliable performers over recent seasons, the move for Mendy may suggest that Louza, or another of Pezzolano’s midfielders, could be heading out of Vicarage Road before the transfer window closes. The club has until 7pm on Monday, 1st September to submit the necessary paperwork to complete any sales or acquisitions.
The manager stated, before their trip to Swansea, that his team could cope without the 26-year-old, whose late red card against Queens Park Rangers earned him a three-game suspension, the first of which was versus the Welsh side.
“We know the quality that Imran has, he’s an important player for the team,” Pezzolano told the club website’s. “But we will try and play our game the same as always. We have other teammates who can do a really good job in that position.”
At least with the addition of Mendy, Watford will have extra support in the centre of the pitch if Louza does leave. Although they may need to be patient with their new Senegalese recruit as he has not had a proper pre-season, so he will require some time to get into shape.