Manchester City boss confirms Benjamin Mendy will miss start of the season

Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola has admitted that summer signing Benjamin Mendy will miss the start of the new season due to a muscular injury.


The France international became the world’s most expensive defender earlier this month after the Citizens coughed up a £52m sum to sign him from AS Monaco.

The full-back position has been the main focus for Pep Guardiola during this summer’s transfer window, and he has managed to deliver with the signings Mendy, Kyle Walker and Danilo. While Walker and Mendy can feature in the right-back and left-back spots respectively, Danilo is more versatile as he can slot into both sides whilst also playing as a holding midfielder.

Speaking to reporters, Guardiola confirmed that Mendy will be on the sidelines for the next two or three weeks, thus deeming him doubtful for the opening games of the new league season. Despite this, the Catalan tactician is pleased with his options in hand after Danilo put up a couple of impressive performances at left wing-back against both Real Madrid and Tottenham Hotspur.

Guardiola said: “Mendy had a tough injury – a muscular injury. He is still injured. He needs two or three weeks. We don’t want to take a risk because he is explosive, such a fast guy. He needs to be okay because we have 10 months coming. We have Danilo and saw how well he can play. We are very pleased.”

David Silva was another who had been struggling with a groin problem, but he managed to make his first pre-season appearance during the 3-0 win over Tottenham Hotspur. With the new campaign due to start in less than a fortnight’s time, Guardiola has all his cards picked for the starting lineup, but he is still said to want another defender in his ranks to potentially provided added competition.

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