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Mendy will have to prove himself at City if he is to regain a spot in the team ahead of the new season

By Zoheb Alam

MANCHESTER, ENGLAND - APRIL 17: Raheem Sterling of Manchester City celebrates with teammates Benjamin Mendy and Aymeric Laporte after scoring his team's first goal during the UEFA Champions League Quarter Final second leg match between Manchester City and Tottenham Hotspur at at Etihad Stadium on April 17, 2019 in Manchester, England. (Photo by Shaun Botterill/Getty Images)
MANCHESTER, ENGLAND - APRIL 17: Raheem Sterling of Manchester City celebrates with teammates Benjamin Mendy and Aymeric Laporte after scoring his team's first goal during the UEFA Champions League Quarter Final second leg match between Manchester City and Tottenham Hotspur at at Etihad Stadium on April 17, 2019 in Manchester, England. (Photo by Shaun Botterill/Getty Images) /
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Manchester City are all set to return to the Premier League next month as they are slated to face Tottenham Hotspur in their opening league fixture.

The Cityzens are currently busy recruiting some big names to their squad. As of now, the club is yet to find success in the ongoing transfer window as ‘targets’ like Harry Kane and Jack Grealish have not secured their big-money moves to the Etihad.

Besides bringing fresh faces to the team, the Cityzens will look to address the future of some star members. I believe the likes of Raheem Sterling, Gabriel Jesus, and Aymeric Laporte could well shift base this summer. But at the same time, the club’s “third-choice” left-back Benjamin Mendy, too, has an uncertain future at the present moment.

The former Monaco defender is nowhere close to Guardiola’s first-team plans. The Frenchman was simply underwhelming throughout last season. Besides scoring a couple of goals in the Championship, the defender did not have much to show for and had ended the league campaign with only 13 appearances.

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Injury issues seem to have added to his misery and hence has seen him fall down the pecking order. At the same time, superior performances from Joao Cancelo and Oleksandr Zinchenko have ensured that he remains a mere spectator from the bench.

Despite all the criticism, I still believe that Mendy’s time at Manchester City is far from over. It is important to acknowledge that the Frenchman has an excellent attacking mindset and has often shown his ability to contribute in the final third. Yes, the former Monaco star does not have the best defensive qualities but with regular game time, we can expect him to improve his shortcomings.

LEICESTER, ENGLAND – APRIL 03: Benjamin Mendy of Manchester City celebrates after scoring their team’s first goal during the Premier League match between Leicester City and Manchester City at The King Power Stadium on April 03, 2021, in Leicester, England. Sporting stadiums around the UK remain under strict restrictions due to the Coronavirus Pandemic as Government social distancing laws prohibit fans inside venues resulting in games being played behind closed doors. (Photo by Rui Vieira – Pool/Getty Images)
LEICESTER, ENGLAND – APRIL 03: Benjamin Mendy of Manchester City celebrates after scoring their team’s first goal during the Premier League match between Leicester City and Manchester City at The King Power Stadium on April 03, 2021, in Leicester, England. Sporting stadiums around the UK remain under strict restrictions due to the Coronavirus Pandemic as Government social distancing laws prohibit fans inside venues resulting in games being played behind closed doors. (Photo by Rui Vieira – Pool/Getty Images) /

For now, the Sky Blues do not seem keen enough to sell the 27-year-old and therefore it more or less confirms his stay at the club this summer. It has been reported that Inter Milan are considering a move for the defender but are yet to place an offer to the Premier League holders.

Mendy will have to give his best efforts if he is to impress Pep Guardiola for a place in his star-studded side. There is too much competition in the City squad, and in some way, it is benefitting the club to achieve the best results.

Next. Manchester City could see Sterling leave this summer as Barcelona show interest for the English forward. dark

Do you think Benjamin Mendy deserves another chance at City?

Let us know your opinion in the comments!