Didier Deschamps has all but officially confirmed the signing of Ferland Mendy for Real Madrid. The French National team coach spoke to reporters about his left back after being asked about transfers potentially unsettling his players, “This is valid for all players. There is always noise and opportunities. This will affect some French players, sometimes like Ferland Mendy, who did not expect Real Madrid to come for him,” he noted.

Deschamps went on to praise Mendy and his progression as a player: “Ferland Mendy has great offensive capabilities, he has that attacking ability and overall we have seen a tremendous progression. He was in Ligue 2 just two years ago and now he’s going to be at Real Madrid. He can use both feet and has great quality, with us he was efficient every time he received playing time”.

Reports from Spanish media, including both AS and Marca, have suggested that the deal has been held up due to a former hip-injury that Mendy sustained early in his career. Madrid want their specialist to take a another look after the international break. If all goes as planned, the left back could be announced as early as Wednesday.