Forest Green Rovers manager Robbie Savage has firmly stated that club captain Laurent Mendy is not for sale despite renewed rumors of interest from Scottish Premiership side Hearts.
Hearts reportedly had a bid for the 29-year-old midfielder rejected in January—an offer Savage described as far below their valuation. Since then, speculation has resurfaced that the Edinburgh club might rekindle their pursuit of Mendy, who joined Forest Green from Macclesfield, following Savage’s move.
Speaking to the BBC, Savage clarified: “There has been no bid. We received an offer in January which was miles under what we believe Laurent is worth. While there may have been some contact, no official offers have come from Hearts or any other club. Our stance is clear—he is not for sale.”
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Mendy has not appeared in Forest Green’s opening pre-season friendlies against Bishop’s Cleeve and Slimbridge, but Savage emphasized the club’s ambitions to retain their top players for their promotion push.
“I don’t see any club aiming for promotion selling their best players during this stage of the season,” Savage said. “We understand players want to reach higher levels, but with the investment from our owner, Dale Vince, we want to keep our strongest squad intact. If bids do come in, they will be turned down.”
Savage praised the quality within the squad, highlighting players such as Kyle McAllister, James Berry, and D’Mani Mellor alongside Mendy. “Why would we sell our best assets just because they want to play at a higher level? Our goal is promotion, and we’re building to achieve that.”
The Forest Green manager also addressed rumors about the size of his squad—insisting his roster numbers around 23, which includes recent signings like Sydney Agina, a full-back on loan from Stoke City.
“We’re happy with a squad of 23 players,” Savage explained. “We’ll only bring players in if someone leaves or injuries demand it.”
However, Savage did leave open the possibility of signing a third goalkeeper following the departure of Harry Isted. With Luke McNicholas and Fiachra Pagel assigned squad numbers 12 and 13 respectively, the number one spot remains open.
“We’re looking into whether to add a goalkeeper through a loan or free transfer. Competition for the starting spot will be open during preseason,” Savage said. “If no addition comes, it will be Luke and Pags competing for the position.”
Forest Green Rovers have announced their squad numbers for the 2026/27 season, with Laurent Mendy wearing the number 6 captain’s armband as they prepare for a critical National League campaign.