By Sabiu Abdullahi
Former Manchester City defender Benjamin Mendy has initiated legal action against his former club, filing a multi-million-pound lawsuit at an employment tribunal.
Mendy alleges that the Premier League champions engaged in unauthorised wage deductions during the period he faced criminal charges.
According to Sky Sports, Mendy, now playing for French club Lorient, claims that City ceased payment of his salary in September 2021 when he was accused of rape and sexual assault.
Despite being acquitted in two trials earlier this year, Mendy contends that City withheld his wages for nearly two years, spanning the duration of the legal proceedings.
His lawyer, Nick De Marco, confirmed the legal action, seeking all owed wages up until Mendy’s City contract expiration in June 2023.
The legal claim argues that City was not contractually entitled to impose such an extended wage suspension, emphasizing Mendy’s clearance of all charges.
Mendy, once hailed as the world’s costliest defender after his £52 million move from Monaco to City in 2017, achieved success with three league titles.
However, his last appearance for City dates back to August 2021, just before his arrest.
The statement released by Mendy’s legal team highlighted the critical details of the case: “Manchester City FC failed to pay Mr Mendy any wages at all from September 2021, following Mr Mendy being charged with various offenses, all of which he was subsequently acquitted of, until the end of his contract in June 2023. The claim will come before an Employment Tribunal.”
This legal saga adds another layer to Mendy’s tumultuous journey, raising questions about the handling of wages during legal proceedings and the contractual obligations of football clubs in such situations.