Hearts agree a six-figure transfer fee for Laurent Mendy after a deal with Forest Green Rovers
French midfielder is heading to Scotland
Hearts today agreed a six-figure transfer fee for Laurent Mendy as the French midfielder prepares to leave Forest Green Rovers. The Edinburgh News has learned that a fee of £500,000 has been agreed between the clubs, with the deal also including add-ons. Mendy is expected to travel to Edinburgh in the coming days to finalise his move to Scotland.
Age 29, Mendy is a holding midfielder who Hearts tried to sign in January. They put an offer forward which Forest Green rejected. The English National League club were determined to keep the player but have now reluctantly sanctioned his transfer after reaching an agreement with Tynecastle officials.
Mendy will undergo a medical before becoming Hearts’ ninth summer signing after wingers Josh McPake and Calvin Miller, midfielders Sabri Guendouz and Tom Renaud, striker Amadou Ba-Sy, centre-backs MJ Kamson-Kamara and Malachi Fagan-Walcott, plus goalkeeper Beau Reus.
Hearts are currently in Austria preparing for Tuesday night’s Champions League second qualifying round first leg against Sturm Graz. Head coach Wouter Vrancken explained last week that he did not expect to have a deal in place for Mendy in time for him to be involved in the tie.
“I think it's more realistic to think it will be after the Sturm Graz game to be possible to play,” said the Belgian. “I think it’s a type of profile that is more of a defensive midfielder, a six actually, profile-wise - but it's up to the club and him to find some agreement. And if it's not then there are other players.”
Foret Green manager Robbie Savage stressed a week ago that Mendy was not fore sale. “No bid. We had a bid last January for Laurent,” he remarked. “A bid which we thought was miles under our valuation. There's no bid at all in for Laurent Mendy. I think there has been contact from Hearts but no official offer from any other club. Not from Hearts, not from any other club. So again, I think our stance is pretty clear: Not for sale.
“I look at the teams who are expecting to be in the play-off position and get promotion, I don't see any of them selling their arguably best player at this stage of the season. I understand people have got ambitions and aims. They want to play as high as they can. Again, I've been a player, so I understand it and I am a manager and what I've realised is, the investment that (club owner) Dale has put into his football club.
“We want to keep our best players. So, unfortunately, in football, you don't get what you want. I'm not saying Laurent wants to go. I'm just saying that, no bid has been received. Our stance is pretty clear. He's not for sale. We need to keep our best players in this football club to try and gain promotion. To be all EFL players, manager, staff and that's what our aim is.
“No bids are in. If any bids come in, they'll be turned down because the players we have here at the minute, you look at Kyle McAllister, Mendy, you've got James Berry and D'Mani Mellor. We've got so many good players. Why would we want to sell our best assets? Those players want to play higher. We need to get promoted and we're going to try and keep them up. We've got to keep our best players.”