Players from all over the world are being linked with Celtic as the 2026 summer transfer window starts to gain momentum.
With question marks over Celtic’s backline ahead of the new 2026/27 Premiership season, especially the heart of defence, the club have been linked with Nobel Mendy.
Now a permanent signing of Rayo Vallecano, Mendy has continued to rise during his footballing journey from Paris in France, as 67 Hail Hail have taken a look at the player who could be wearing the famous green and white colours one day.
🤔 Do Celtic need to sign a centre-back this summer?
Nobel Mendy’s profile amid Celtic links
Mendy’s footballing journey started in his hometown of Guédiawaye in Senegal, but his first steps into European football began in Paris.
It eventually led to Mendy making three senior appearances for Paris – rivals of PSG – after coming through their ranks as a teenager.
That road eventually led him to Spain, where he joined Real Betis’ B team, but he would only play a few games for the Seville-based side.
This is where it leads Mendy to Europa Conference League finalists Rayo Vallecano. He joined Vallecano on a loan deal last season, helping them to that historic European run, and now he has secured a permanent transfer with the club.
Despite that, Mendy has still been linked with Celtic, as well as other sides, including German giants, Eintracht Frankfurt.
- Name: Nobel Mendy
- Birthplace: Guédiawaye, Senegal
- Age: 21 (16/08/04)
- Positions: Centre-back and left-back
- Preferred foot: Left
- Clubs represented: Paris, Real Betis, and Rayo Vallecano
How did Mendy fare last season?
It needs to be noted that Mendy is still 21, so there is still a lot of raw talent and potential in his locker.
But valuable experience in France, Spain, as well as in Europe, should be exciting to the Celtic Park faithful if he ends up in Glasgow.
Given that Vallecano made Mendy’s loan move permanent after his debut campaign at the Madrid-based club speaks for itself.
Not only that, but Mendy also earned his maiden cap for Senegal at the start of 2026, but he missed out on their World Cup squad.
Nonetheless, while Rayo suffered heartbreak last season by losing to Crystal Palace in the Europa Conference League final, they still managed to compete with teams with far bigger budgets than them, all while securing an eighth-placed finish in La Liga.
That included keeping a clean sheet against Real Madrid in November, when he helped lock down the likes of Kylian Mbappé, Vinícius Júnior and Jude Bellingham.
- La Liga games: 24
- Starts: 22
- Goals: 2
- Clean sheets: 5
- Sending offs: 2
- Top speed: 34.5 km/h
- Team of the week: 1
- Sofascore rating: 6.73
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