Going by current reports, a player Ibrox Noise was very reluctant for Rangers to sign has apparently changed his mind yet again. Reports claim Nobel Mendy has opted for the Famous instead after links with Spanish side Rayo Vallecano. The 20-year-old has made just two La Liga appearances for Real Betis. Reports put the proposed fee in the £3.5M range, but we can’t say we’re impressed.
The appeal here seems obvious. He’s left footed, and Rangers badly need a natural left-sided defender. Jefte has failed to convince at all, Ridvan clearly isn’t part of Russell Martin’s plans, and Russell Martin has shoehorned Max Aarons into left back at times. Left back remains a glaring problem. That said, there’s no guarantee Mendy is a real solution, and there’s little evidence he’s any better than what we already have.
Two appearances in La Liga is hardly a glittering CV. By contrast, Nasser Djiga — who had only five Premier League outings for Wolves — is already a league champion with Red Star Belgrade and boasts 14 Champions League appearances. Djiga’s record shows proven experience in winning teams and at the highest level. Mendy’s does not. This feels more like a panic buy than a strategic signing, purely because he’s a lefty.
We’ve been here before. Rangers brought in Ben Davies to replace Calvin Bassey, and we all know how that ended. Bassey himself wasn’t flawless, but his physicality and recovery pace made a difference. Ajax clearly saw enough in his Europa League performances to pay £20 million. Davies, in comparison, was timid, lacked presence, and never imposed himself at Ibrox. Mendy’s profile feels eerily similar — an auxiliary centre back/left back without the pedigree or clout this club demands.
The truth is we don’t know much about Mendy beyond those sparse stats. The deal has the hallmarks of desperation, and unless he’s suddenly going to transform into a top-level defender, it’s hard to get excited. If he changes his mind again and stays in La Liga, we wouldn’t shed a tear. In fact, we’d probably feel relief.