He might have returned in time to feature at the back end of last season and as a France squad member at the 2018 World Cup, but one suspects it'll be the 2018-19 season when we'll get to see the real Benjamin Mendy.
A serious knee injury suffered early last season meant the World Cup winner missed out on the bulk of Man City's title-winning campaign but he's already making up for it this campaign.
The former Monaco left back's delivery from the flank has been very productive for City this season, notching an assist in their opener against Arsenal and a couple more in the thrashing of Huddersfield Town to go top of the Premier League assists table.
The Football Show podcast:
Such is the excellence and precision of his crossing that our own Kevin Kilbane, former Ireland and Everton winger and left-back, has him at the echelon in Europe.
"I think he's got a great knowledge and a great ability to recognise while that ball's travelling to him, that this can go in first time or I need to take a touch," said Kevin.
Kevin also discussed the centre-back options at Man United after the chastening loss to Brighton:
"And it's almost as if he's watching where the full back is that's near to him or the wide man that's near him.
"And he adjusts his body shape. He adjusts his position as the ball's coming in so he kind of runs around the ball at times and the way that he fizzes the ball in, he is the best crosser in European if not world football, that's the way I would see it with Mendy.
"His ability to put it in first time even when he's on the run and needs to take a touch to put it in, his ability to put crosses in and you only need to look at Aguero's hat-trick goal that he scored on Sunday."
You can watch the full Football Show back on YouTube including ex-Chelsea and Everton winger Pat Nevin's review of the weekend's action and thoughts on Liverpool who were in action tonight:
Download the brand new OffTheBall App in the Play Store & App Store right now! We've got you covered!
Subscribe to OffTheBall's YouTube channel for more videos, like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter for the latest sporting news and content.
