CHELSEA’S incoming keeper Edouard Mendy won’t pressurise flop Kepa as he’s ‘not a household name’, claims John Barnes.
Mendy is due to be announced as the Blues’ latest signing in a mega transfer window for Frank Lampard.
The West Londoners have splurged over £230million as they make up for last year’s transfer ban.
On Monday it was reported Mendy, 28, was undergoing a medical at Chelsea ahead of a £22m move from Rennes – following in the footsteps of legend Petr Cech, who played a key role in the transfer.
But Liverpool legend Barnes does not see his signing as a quick fix for Chelsea’s problem between the sticks.
Speaking to BonusCodeBets, Barnes said: “With the new goalkeeper [Edouard Mendy] expected to join Chelsea this week, this won’t put too much pressure on Kepa for the number one spot.
“Edouard Mendy isn’t exactly a household name that a lot of people know about so he will immediately be under pressure if they put him straight in.
“If Chelsea were to sign Jan Oblak or Manuel Neuer, they can put him in straightaway and if he makes a mistake, fans would let it slide as they know he is a top goalkeeper.
“However, if they put this new goalkeeper in at the start and he makes a mistake, fans will be asking for Kepa to be brought back in.
“Chelsea signing Edouard Mendy will not install confidence in the fans as they know that he won’t be directly replacing Kepa.
“With the amount of money that Chelsea paid for Kepa Arrizabalaga, fans should know that they spent that amount because of how good he was, so people need to remember that.”
Talk of Mendy’s arrival comes just days after the world’s most expensive keeper Kepa Arrizabalaga made yet another howler against Liverpool on Sunday.
The Spanish keeper inexplicably passed the ball straight to Sadio Mane to gift the Premier League champs an easy goal, leaving Lampard and despairing fans looking elsewhere.
