Ferland Mendy may still be on vacation, but his priorities are clear. The French left-back is not only following a strict rehabilitation plan to regain full fitness, but he's also determined to return to full team training as soon as possible and fight for his place at Real Madrid, despite persistent rumors surrounding his future following the arrival of Alvaro Carreras.

Mendy has been sidelined since undergoing surgery on April 30 to repair a rupture in the proximal rectus femoris tendon of his right quadriceps. Remarkably, he was the only Real Madrid player training at Valdebebas during the Club World Cup.

The arrival of new head coach Xabi Alonso has only intensified speculation about the defender’s future. Under Ancelotti, Mendy was the undisputed starter when fit. However, with Carreras joining the squad after the World Cup and Fran García delivering a standout performance in the tournament, playing every minute until the loss to PSG, the competition for the left-back spot has tightened considerably.

Still, Mendy remains confident. He hasn’t received any indication from the club that he is no longer part of their plans, and his entourage also reports no signals of an impending exit. On the contrary, his contract renewal last season, extending his stay until 2028, suggests that Real Madrid’s intention is to keep him, unless Xabi Alonso decides otherwise.

For now, Mendy continues to work individually. While the squad was in Madrid before departing for their U.S. tour, the former Lyon man had not yet returned to the pitch. It appears increasingly unlikely that he will be fit in time for the La Liga opener in August or the start of the Champions League campaign in September.

Once he returns from vacation next Monday, Xabi Alonso will have a chance to evaluate Mendy’s condition firsthand and begin making decisions about the left-back position for the season ahead.

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