Former Portsmouth loanee & ex-Cardiff City winger makes surprise career decision following Championship exit

Former Pompey winger Nathaniel Mendez-Laing has completed a shock move to League Two outfit MK Dons.

Despite having 12 months on his deal with Derby County, the 33-year-old has since penned a permanent deal at Stadium MK.

This will now see him link up with former Rams boss Paul Warne with the Dons following his appointment in April. The duo spent two-and-a-half years together at the Rams, which saw the Guatemala international score 17 goals and contribute 27 assists.

Although MK Dons finished 19th in the fourth-tier last term, Mendez-Laing is adamant his new squad have what it takes to achieve promotion back to League One following his drop from the Championship.

He told the official club website: ‘I'm buzzing, happy to finally get this deal done! It's a project that I'm really excited about, and I can't wait to get going.

‘I've always kept in touch with the gaffer (Paul Warne), he's someone I highly respect. When the conversation happened, there was instant interest from my side. He's a great and honest man.

‘I've come from the Championship, which shows the project this club is aiming for and the type of person the gaffer is. I can't wait to get going, the facilities here are amazing and I've always loved playing at Stadium MK. As I said before, I can't wait to get going because it's an exciting season ahead.

‘I'm somebody who likes to excite the crowd; I'm very attacking, I like to get at defenders, create and score goals. I have a passion for winning and the gaffer is the same, I'm excited to be back on this journey with him.

‘Promotion is my only objective, for the team and myself. The size of this club, the manager that we have, the players we have here and signings throughout the summer, there is nothing short than promotion for me.’

Nathaniel Mendez-Laing’s career so far

After coming through the ranks at Wolves and following spells with Peterborough United and Sheffield United, Mendez-Laing arrived at Pompey in November 2012 on an initial one-month loan deal.

After his terms were extended from a second month, the winger amassed eight appearances for the Blues, which saw a return of three draws and five defeats.

Since then, he’s reached the heights of the Premier League with Cardiff City before facing some heavy lows during his time with the Bluebirds. After featuring prominently for the south Wales club, his time ended on a sour note after being sacked for taking cocaine.

But he was given a second chance in English football by his former boss Neil Warnock at Middlesbrough in 2021 after a short-time away from the game and played sporadically for Boro.

Following a short spell with Sheffield Wednesday, the winger moved to Derby in 2022. During his three-year spell at Pride Park, Mendez-Laing scored 21 goals and registered 33 assists in all competitions and played a key role in the Rams’ promotion to the Championship.

In the second-tier last term, the Molineux youth product featured in both games against the Blues and assisted in December’s 4-0 triumph over John Mousinho’s men.

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