EDOUARD MENDY snubbed a six-year contract offer — because Chelsea are not showing him enough ‘respect’ over wages.
The Senegalese keeper has been back training with his club since last week after reaching the World Cup last 16 — but there is still no sign of an agreement.
Mendy, 30, earns around £100,000 a week and wants parity with his Blues rival Kepa Arrizabalaga who picks up almost twice that.
Sources claim Chelsea bosses have even withdrawn their initial offer of a long-term deal as they play hardball with the negotiations — and now there is a stand-off.
And an insider told SunSport: “Edouard is back at Chelsea and he is ready to play.
“But there is a feeling that the contract situation is just going nowhere.
“Edouard has won some huge trophies for Chelsea — but there is a sense that he is not being shown enough respect by the club over a new deal.”
The Blues star still has two and a half years left on his contract but Italian champions AC Milan are closely monitoring the situation — as are French sides Nice and Monaco.
Mendy was voted Fifa’s best goalkeeper of 2021, having helped Chelsea win the Champions League in 2020.
He also played a key role in the Blues lifting the Club World Cup — the last big trophy to elude them.
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Mendy won the Africa Cup of Nations with Senegal in 2021 and played for his homeland in Qatar, going out to England in the first knockout round.
Now he is back at Chelsea’s Surrey HQ and hopes to play when they return to Premier League action at home to Bournemouth on December 27.
Meanwhile, Chelsea have confirmed Christopher Vivell’s arrival as their new technical director.
Vivell, 36, previously worked at RB Leipzig in his native Germany, where he was responsible for recruitment and scouting all age groups.
Stamford Bridge chairman Todd Boehly says Vivell will provide support for manager Graham Potter as they continue revamping a squad that is currently down in eighth spot — eight points off the Champions League places.
American Boehly said: “We are delighted Christopher is taking up this important leadership role.
“His work in Germany and Austria speaks for itself. We are confident that he will continue on his impressive trajectory here at Chelsea.
“He will provide important support to Graham and the ownership group and play a vital part in advancing our overall vision for the club.”
Vivell, who succeeds club legend Petr Cech, said: “Chelsea are building the most exciting project in global football. I’m proud to be joining them.
“There just is so much potential to continue to develop and grow.”
Vivell previously spent five years with Leipzig’s sister club RB Salzburg.
