Lyon president: Mendy couldn't turn down Real Madrid when Zidane called him Real Madrid Left-back signed for Los Blancos this week

Lyon president Jean-Michel Aulas has admitted that Ferland Mendy couldn't turn down a move to Real Madrid, once Zinedine Zidane himself had called him.

Mendy is the latest high-profile name to join Los Blancos this summer after the signings of Eden Hazard, Luka Jovic, Eder Militao and Rodrygo Goes.

"He arrived at Lyon two years ago from Le Havre," Aulas told Radio MARCA about the left-back.

"He started to play for France when he was just 22; his rise has been very quick."

Despite Mendy's importance to Lyon and the potential he has, it wasn't hard for Aulas to reach an agreement to sell him to Real Madrid.

"Florentino Perez and I are very good friends, and this always influences negotiations," the Lyon president said.

However, the friendship wasn't the key factor in the transfer - that was down to Zidane, who called Mendy to persuade him to move to Madrid.

"It was Zidane's request, yes," Aulas said.

"When he called [Mendy], he couldn't resist."

"It's up to Zidane to decide!" Aulas answered when asked whether Mendy could oust Marcelo from the Real Madrid starting line-up.

Lyon have wasted no time in finding a replacement for Mendy at left-back ahead of next season.

"We've signed another player, Heritier Deyonge [from PSV Eindhoven], who has the same characteristics and is a prospect for the future," Aulas noted.

"He's Belgian and is 17 years old."