Manchester City fans are about to receive a huge boost ahead of the Champions League tie against FC Basel next week. It has been reported that Benjamin Mendy is already moving his injured knee with complete freedom and is set to make a return to full training next month. The medical staff is closely monitoring his progress and Pep Guardiola would like nothing better than to see his £49m purchase return to first team football in the final stretch of the 2017/18 season.
Mendy went down with an Anterior Cruciate Ligament tear in City’s 5-0 win over Crystal Palace back in September of last year and has been going through the prescribed rehabilitation process to make such a speedy recovery. He started off the season in impressive fashion following the quality campaign he delivered last season with AS Monaco and was Pep’s first choice to appear in the left-back position. But now he will have to undergo a certain amount of break-in period to find his way back to top-flight senior football.
He is clearly hopeful of making an appearance in the 2018 FIFA World Cup, which will depend entirely on his performances in the limited minutes he is expected to receive in the late stages of the current campaign. Deschamps already has Paris Saint-Germain’s Layvin Kurzawa as his first option in the left-back role, but Mendy is eager to make a statement of his own and this is a huge sign of positivity for the Citizens.
A willing and an ambitious figure is the perfect match for a tittle hungry side like Manchester City. They are currently riding the high wave in the Premier League with a 13 point lead at the top and are well poised to make a strong case in the European competition against the elites. Pep has found Mendy’s replacement in Fabian Delph who is primarily a holding midfielder by trade. Former Real Madrid man, Danilo has also filled in on the position and has looked decent in recent times.
At 23, Mendy still has the advantage of time in his hands and that will play a huge factor in his future with the Premier League club. Making a fast return only to fall back with a recurring wound will only hinder his growth as a professional.
