EYEBROWS were raised - and not for the first time this summer - when Wandereres announced the signing of Bernard Mendy.

The 20-year-old Paris St Germain full-back is highly regarded by international scouts who have tracked his development in France, where "guesstimates" of his current valuation have topped the £5 million mark.

Surprising then that Sam Allardyce was able to secure his services on loan for the coming season! Not if you have studied the PSG scene and, in particular, the style of their manager-coach Luis Fernandez as closely as Jay Jay Okocha has.

"It was not at all surprising to see Mendy allowed to leave," said the Nigerian who only months earlier had made the same switch for much the same reasons.

"The coach has been trying to get rid of the players who were there when he came.

"That was one of the reasons why I could not extend my contract, like so many others.

"There are now only one or two left who were there before he came. He decided to make changes and he has made them."

Wanderers have clearly profited from the turmoil in Paris, certainly in the case of Okocha whose credentials - both domestic and international - speak for themselves. The Super Eagles, for whom he has played for the past nine years, might have had a disappointing World Cup but their captain still managed to impress with his creative skills and, together with the signings of Youri Djorkaeff and Bulent Akin, his arrival at the Reebok has generated an atmosphere of excitement and expectation among the fans.

But what of Mendy? Little is known in England of the right-sider, other than the fact that he has broken into the first team at PSG and has been capped at Under 20 level.

But Okocha, who has seen him rise through the ranks in Paris believes Wanderers have acquired a rare talent.

"He is a very young, talented player," the 28-year-old acknowledges. "He is very quick, very strong and on the right side I think he can contribute a lot to our season.

"I believe he is a very good signing for the club. He is a very disciplined player who is always willing to work and, the most important thing, he is always looking to improve and to learn. That is a very good point for a young player.

"He will have a good season and will be a useful player for us."