Hearts transfer deal branded life-changing for star as 'unbelievable' move to require club record fee
Hearts are set to make their latest transfer move of the summer window.
Forest Green Rovers boss Robbie Savage claims the National League side have agreed a club-record fee with Hearts for Laurent Mendy - and it will change his life.
The Edinburgh News learned this week that a fee of £500k has been agreed between the clubs and the deal also includes add-ons. A defensive midfielder, Mendy is expected to travel to Edinburgh to finalise his move to the Premiership, with league business beginning versus Aberdeen on August 1. He would be unavailable for the second leg of their Champions League second round qualifier versus Sturm Graz in which Hearts trail 4-0.
Mendy was a Jambos target in January but a deal could not be agreed. Savage now says the move is close to completion and that it will be a life-altering one for the new Tynecastle recruit. He also insists the move will creep close to seven figures if all add-ons are met.
Robbie Savage on Hearts signing Laurent Mendy
Speaking after Rovers’ 2-2 draw with Bristol Rovers on Tuesday night, Savage said to Gloucestershire Live: “A deal has been agreed, it’s not finalised yet, he hasn’t travelled to Edinburgh for his medical yet A fee has been reported but I can say the fee which we’ve agreed will be a club record. If all targets are met it’s close to seven figures which for this football club is quite remarkable.
“I’ll speak about it again when everything is signed and finalised but it’s an opportunity for Laurent, an opportunity to change his life. If you want to be here and you want to perform, and play well, look at what can happen. We are an ambitious club ourselves but when a player has an opportunity like the one Mendy has, how can you stand in his way? It’s unbelievable for the club, and unbelievable for the boy.”
It’s a shift in tone from Savage’s previous comments on Mendy. He said a week ago: “No bid. We had a bid last January for Laurent. 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.
What does Robbie Savage think about Laurent Mendy?
“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.”