Senegal defender Nobel Mendy is set to join Hull City after the English club agreed a deal worth €25m with Rayo Vallecano for the 21-year-old.
The agreement includes a 12.5% sell-on clause for Rayo Vallecano, while Real Betis are also due to receive 20% of the transfer fee under the financial terms of the deal.
Mendy’s move comes just weeks after he completed a permanent transfer to Rayo Vallecano following an impressive loan spell at the Spanish club.
The defender’s performances during the 2025-26 season helped him attract attention in England and earn recognition at international level with Senegal.
Mendy is capable of playing both at centre-back and left-back, giving Hull another versatile defensive option as they prepare for the new season.
The player is now travelling towards England as the final stages of his move to Hull City are completed.
The agreement between Hull and Rayo Vallecano was concluded with club director Okan Ozkan involved in the negotiations.
Following the completion of the deal, Mendy was pictured with Yvan Nzalengi of BS Group and sports lawyer Badou Sambague.
The transfer marks a significant rise for a player who only recently became a permanent Rayo Vallecano player.
Mendy initially joined the Spanish club on loan from Real Betis and made a strong impression during his spell in Madrid.
His displays during the 2025-26 campaign helped him establish himself in La Liga and eventually break into the Senegal national team.
His progress also attracted interest from other clubs during the transfer window, with Scottish giants Celtic previously linked with a move for the defender.
Hull, however, have now won the race for his signature after reaching an agreement with Rayo.
The €25m package represents a major investment in the young Senegal international, who can operate in two defensive positions.
For Rayo Vallecano, the agreement also provides the club with a future financial interest through the 12.5% sell-on clause. That means the Spanish side could benefit from a percentage of any future transfer involving Mendy.
Betis, meanwhile, retain a financial stake in the transfer, with the Spanish club entitled to 20% of the deal.
Mendy’s rapid rise has been particularly notable given his age. After developing in Spain, he used his opportunity at Rayo to make the transition from promising young defender to an international player.
His performances in the 2025-26 season were enough to earn him a place in Senegal’s national-team setup, adding international experience to his growing club career.
The move to Hull now gives him the chance to continue that development in English football.
For the Senegal national team, Mendy’s transfer provides another indication of the growing number of young African defenders making significant moves across Europe’s major leagues.
