Edouard Mendy says Chelsea rival Kepa is on his back to make him better goalkeeper

EDOUARD MENDY says Kepa Arrizabalaga does not hold back from digging him out to make him better — even though he replaced the Spaniard as Chelsea No 1.

Mendy was snapped up from Rennes for £24million when Blues lost patience with bungling stopper Kepa after a series of big-game errors.

Kepa is not sulking and instead has been helping rival Edouard Mendy to become a better goalkeeper, says the Senegal starCredit: Reuters

But the Senegal star says his goalkeeping rival is not sulking — and is instead working to make sure he is up to scratch.

Mendy, 28, said: “Before my first match, absolutely he wished me good luck. He never holds back if he thinks he sees things that I might have missed, just as Willy Caballero does as well.

“It’s great that we have a united team, the three of us, it is good for us and good for the rest of the team.”

Mendy knew he was walking into a difficult situation at Stamford Bridge.

But he said a chat with boss Frank Lampard made it clear he would be given the chance to become the permanent No 1.

Mendy said: “I think everyone who knows and follows football could see there was a unique situation here with regards to goalkeepers, but it really wasn’t something that had any role in my decision to come to Chelsea.

“I was focusing on what the coach had told me about coming here.

“He reassured me that this would be the best club for me to continue developing as a player and to help the team.”

Chelsea football director Petr Cech, 38, has also been added to the playing staff after Kepa picked up a shoulder injury.

But Mendy does not expect the Blues legend to feature.

He added: “I think we already have three very good, competitive goalkeepers and that should be enough for us.”

Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk