Benjamin Mendy sues Man City over unpaid wages

Benjamin Mendy, the French defender, has reportedly taken legal action against his former club, Manchester City, demanding compensation for unpaid wages. According to a lawyer representing Mendy, he is seeking a multi-million pound sum, estimated to be between £9 million and £10 million ($11-12m), from the club.

The saga began when Mendy was suspended by Manchester City in September 2021, following charges of rape. He underwent a lengthy trial process, during which he faced six counts of rape and one count of sexual assault. However, in January of this year, Mendy was cleared of all charges. More recently, on July 14, he was found not guilty of one count of rape and one count of attempted rape. Shortly after being acquitted, Mendy joined Lorient as a free agent and has since made three appearances for the Ligue 1 side.

It is alleged that Manchester City refused to pay Mendy any wages from September 2021 onwards, as he was unable to train or play due to conditions of his bail, which restricted him from entering Greater Manchester. The club made the decision to withhold payment despite the fact that Mendy was ultimately cleared of all charges. This has prompted Mendy to take legal action against Manchester City, citing “unauthorised deductions from wages” and claiming that he was not paid throughout his contract, which was set to end in June 2023.

According to Nick De Marco KC, the lawyer representing Benjamin Mendy, the club’s failure to provide wages to the player for the entire period of his legal ordeal is the basis for their multi-million pound claim. A statement released by De Marco reads, “Manchester City FC failed to pay Mr Mendy any wages at all from September 2021, following Mr Mendy being charged with various offences all of which he was subsequently acquitted of, until the end of his contract in June 2023.”

As of now, Manchester City has not responded to requests for comment from various news outlets. However, if Mendy’s claims proceed to an employment trial, it is expected that the club will be required to present their defense within the coming weeks. The outcome of this legal battle will undoubtedly be of great interest to football fans and legal observers alike.