Nobel Mendy on Rayo: it's a family club, it stays with you forever | OneFootball

The Senegalese centre-back looked back on the difficult negotiations to complete his transfer to Hull City

Nobel Mendy has reflected on his complicated departure from Rayo Vallecano and his subsequent move to Hull City in an interview with Directo MARCA Madrid. The Senegalese centre-back acknowledged the huge complexity surrounding the negotiations between the English club and the Madrid-based side during the summer window, admitting that at times he feared the deal would collapse. “The negotiation with Hull was a little complicated, but in the end I’m here and I’m very happy. Honestly, yes, sometimes my agent told me it wasn’t going to happen”, Mendy admitted, highlighting the key role played by his representative in unlocking a deal that has ultimately changed his life.

Despite the back-and-forth of the transfer market that eventually confirmed his move to Britain, the defender made it clear that he still feels a deep emotional bond with the Vallecas neighbourhood and its dressing room. The defender admitted he still follows Rayo’s latest news very closely and remains in constant contact with his former teammates: “Rayo is a very family-oriented club. When that happens with this kind of club, it always affects you, you keep that family with you”. An indelible mark that shows that, despite the distance and the contractual difficulties involved in finalising the sale, his bond with the red sash remains intact.

On the sporting side, the step up to the Premier League could not have been more fruitful for the former Rayo player, who scored on his debut in Hull City’s win over Manchester United. Now enjoying a strong competitive run with seven points taken against high-level opponents, Mendy said he is not surprised by the level the team has shown: “If it’s coming together like this in matches, we deserve it because we’re working extremely hard”. Without setting limits on the long term after fulfilling his “childhood dream”, the centre-back is embracing his new chapter in England with calm and his ambition intact after a turbulent departure from Vallecas

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