Real Madrid: Three best signings of the past three years

LB Ferland Mendy

Although Eden Hazard was the superstar acquisition and both Rodrygo Goes and Luka Jovic are young forwards with a world of potential, Ferland Mendy was Real Madrid’s best purchase in the 2019 summer transfer window.

It didn’t take long for Mendy to assert himself as the starting left back at the Santiago Bernabeu, wowing Madridistas with his defensive qualities. Mendy is never caught out of position, as his discipline and one-on-one defending are unmatched among fullbacks.

In the 2019-2020 season, per WhoScored.com, Mendy was dribbled past a mere 0.2 times per game, which is just astounding for a fullback. As the season progressed, Mendy became even more involved in the attack, scoring a wonderful goal against Granada and providing the game-winning assist for Karim Benzema months earlier in El Derbi.

Mendy is already in the argument as the world’s left back, standing alongside Alphonso Davies, Andrew Robertson, and Raphael Guerreiro as one of the premier players at the position. As he continues to gain experience playing with Real’s first team, the talented 25-year-old will continue to develop his underrated skill-set on offense.

But what really makes Mendy a key player for Real and a favorite of both Zinedine Zidane and the fans is his defending. It’s rare to find a left back with his defensive consistency. His transfer from Lyon for 50 million euros has been game-changer for Los Blancos.