Étienne Mendy makes first ASSE reserve appearance

Étienne Mendy has taken his first step towards settling at Saint-Étienne after appearing for the club’s reserve side in the Challenge Espoirs. The 18-year-old Senegalese winger, who joined from Diambars during the summer, is beginning his adaptation to football in France while working towards a possible opportunity with the first team.

Mendy came on in the 75th minute for Toty during the opening-round meeting with Reims. He played around 25 minutes in a game held behind closed doors, but ASSE began the competition with a defeat as Reims secured the win. The appearance was Mendy’s first in Saint-Étienne colours, although the club has not yet formally announced his arrival.

His move follows a season with Diambars in Senegal’s second division, where the club earned promotion to the top flight. At Saint-Étienne, he has several Senegalese teammates around him, including reserve players Lassana Traoré and Lamine Sonko, as well as goalkeeper Mamour Ndiaye and Mourtada Gueye within the wider club environment.

The match also reunited Mendy with Reims scorer Seydou Dembélé. The Senegalese winger faced the Malian in the 2024 UFOA-A Under-17 final, which Senegal won. Mendy’s next objective is to build his playing time with the reserve and continue closing the gap to the senior squad.