In a press release, Stade Malherbe de Caen announced that Parfait Mandanda (34) would rejoin the club on a professional contract sixteen years after he left their academy system.
Mandanda, the little brother of French international Steve Mandanda (38), had trained at Caen as a goalkeeper from 2002 until 2007 but never progressed into the first team, and left to find options elsewhere.
Most notably Mandanda found success in the Belgium league as the goalkeeper for Royal Charleroi between 2011 and 2020, and like his older brother became an international as he represented the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
Last summer Mandanda returned to Caen to train with the team and was afforded opportunities this season with the reserves after the injury to third-choice goalkeeper, Destiné Jopanguy (20).
This injury coupled with the absence of first-choice Anthony Mandréa (27), due to the Africa Cup of Nations, led to Caen offering Mandanda his first professional contract with the club on Wednesday.
Mandanda will provide support for Yannis Clementia (26) for the foreseeable future and may well end up earning his first appearance for his boyhood club sixteen years after leaving its academy.
