Rangers Lead Race for Senegalese Defender Mendy Amid European Interest

According to recent reports, Scottish club Rangers are currently leading the race to sign 20-year-old defender Nobel Mendy from Spanish side Real Betis. The young Senegalese prospect has also caught the attention of Spanish outfit Rayo Vallecano and Belgian club Club Brugge, who are closely monitoring the situation.

Mendy began his career in his homeland of Senegal with Guédiawaye before moving to France, where he had youth stints with several clubs. He then joined the reserves of Paris FC, where he was handed his senior debut. Two summers ago, Betis signed Mendy on loan, and the Verdiblancos later made the move permanent last year for a fee of around €900k.

While Mendy has continued to feature primarily for Betis' reserves, he did make five senior appearances during the 2024-25 season. Now, the young defender appears ready for a fresh challenge and more regular playing time, which has sparked interest from Rangers, who are in the market for defensive reinforcements.

The Gers have parted ways with veteran center-backs Leon Balogun and Robin Propper, and a move for Conor Coady did not materialize. This has left manager Russell Martin with only John Souttar as an experienced central defender, prompting the club to explore options like Mendy to bolster their backline.