Man City Plotting £50m Bid for Ben Chilwell as Frustration Grows Over Benjamin Mendy Injury Record
Manchester City are reportedly growing frustrated with left-back Benjamin Mendy's injury struggles and are preparing a £50m move for Leicester City star Ben Chilwell.
Chilwell has had a superb start to the season, establishing himself as the first-choice left-back at Leicester and becoming a regular part of Gareth Southgate's England squad. Mendy, however, has not enjoyed similar fortunes. Rumours emerged of a clash with manager Pep Guardiola, and Mendy is currently set for another extended period on the sidelines through injury.
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News of City's interest in Chilwell comes from The Daily Mirror, who state that Guardiola is ready to launch a £50m bid for the 21-year-old in January.
The Citizens are said to have grown frustrated with Mendy, who has struggled greatly with injuries since arriving from Monaco in a £52m move from Monaco in 2017. A serious ligament injury sidelined Mendy for the majority of last season, and he has started just 16 games since arriving at the club.
After suffering a knee injury in November, Mendy underwent surgery and has missed the club's last four Premier League matches.
In his absence, Guardiola has been forced to rely on the likes of Fabian Delph and Oleksandr Zinchenko to fill the position, whilst Danilo and Aymeric Laporte have also occasionally been played out of position.
Guardiola is also believed to be frustrated with Mendy's behaviour away from the pitch. His social media use has been criticised, and he turned up late for rehabilitation after watching Anthony Joshua's boxing fight with Alexander Povetkin at Wembley in September. Guardiola has also instructed Mendy to move out of Manchester's city centre to avoid any potential distractions.
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However, given his recent injury struggles, City are now monitoring Chilwell. The 21-year-old signed a new £110,000-a-week contract earlier this season which ties him to the club until 2024, meaning Leicester will be in no rush to sell one of their most exciting young talents.
He has made 16 appearances for the Foxes this season and has even earned two assists. Chilwell's impressive form saw him given his England debut in September and he has since started England's last four matches, helping Southgate's side to qualify for the semi-finals of the UEFA Nations League.
