Pep Guardiola Puts Together The Costliest Defense In History For Trophy Haul

Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has officially put together the costliest defense in football history with the signing of Benjamin Mendy.

The French left back completed a £49.4 million move that could rise to £52 million with add ons to join the Citizens on a 5-year-contract.

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The 23-year-old has had a somewhat meteoric rise in the past few years having joined Marseille in 2013 from Le Havre’s youth system. He moved on to Monaco last year for a measly £11 million fee and went on to establish himself as one of the best full-backs in the world.

His direct and powerful style of play earned him admirers all around Europe in a season that saw his club win the French title and reach the semi-finals of the Champions League.

Mendy’s arrival takes City’s spending on defensive players this summer to a whopping £130 million and a total of £217 million in this window. He is the third full back to join the side in the span of 10 days behind Kyle Walker and Danilo.

Guardiola is looking to fill up the positions left vacant by Pablo Zabaleta, Bacary Sagna and Gaël Clichy whose contracts ended. The only other full back at the club, Aleksandar Kolarov, was sold to Roma.

Manchester City now has four of the five most costly defenders ever bought.

Walker left Spurs in a deal that could eventually be worth £54 million. They also have John Stones who City paid an initial £47.5 million to Everton for. The fee, however, rose to £50 million last summer. The fourth player is Eliaquim Mangala who City paid £42 million for in 2014.

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Benjamin Mendy is not letting the price tag get to him and says he is confident he will settle in quickly.

“I think I am the right person for the group. I am easily adaptable… Regarding football, I can bring a lot of creativity in the game, I can offer different solutions, I like to take to play as a full back and provide assists for the strikers.”

“I am very proud of joining Manchester City, this is what I wanted from the very begiing. As soon as the championship was over, I talked to my family and it was all clear in my head, I wanted to join Manchester City. I’m really happy about it.”

Benjamin Mendy will wear the No. 22 shirt.