Benjamin Mendy to sue Manchester City for up to £10m in lost earnings
Benjamin Mendy, a former Manchester City defender, has filed a legal case against the club in an attempt to recoup up to £10 million in lost profits.
Mendy was suspended by City in August 2021 after being charged with four counts of rape, and he did not play for the club again before leaving in June 2023. City did not pay the former France defender any money from September 2021 until the conclusion of his contract since he was considered unavailable for work throughout his bail and trials.
Mendy was detained for more than four months before being released on bail in January 2022. His bail conditions were that he could not enter Greater Manchester, where City train and play, and that he had to give his passport. City believed that while Mendy was not paid, he was unavailable to work, which is why they withdrew the defender’s pay and are said to be startled that their former employee is initiating legal action.
At Chester Crown Court in January, the 29-year-old was found not guilty of raping four women and sexually abusing another. He had to face a retrial on two outstanding rape and attempted rape counts but was acquitted in July.
“Nick De Marco KC (instructed by Laffer Abogados, Madrid) is acting for the former Manchester City player Benjamin Mendy in a multimillion-pound claim for unauthorized deductions from wages,” according to a statement that was emailed to the Guardian.
“From September 2021, after Mr Mendy was charged with various offenses, all of which he was later acquitted of, until the end of his contract in June 2023, Manchester City failed to pay Mr. Mendy any wages at all.” The case will be heard by an employment tribunal.”
Mendy, who moved for Ligue 1 club Lorient in July, and his agency have contacted City about recouping lost wages, which are estimated to be between £9m and £10m gross. Because no agreement has been reached between City and Mendy, the case will be heard by an employment tribunal.
HM Revenue and Customs has sought a bankruptcy order against France International for an almost £800,000 tax liability. During a high court hearing on the debt, Mendy’s lawyer, Louis Doyle KC, said, “He is embarrassed that he is not able to discharge it sooner than he is able to.” He’s saying, ‘I want to pay as soon as possible because I realize I’m in trouble.'”
The lawyer went on to say: “This is perhaps, if not the last chance saloon, it is close to last orders at the last chance saloon.”
The case was postponed for four months in October to give Mendy time to settle his disagreement with City.
When Mendy joined City from Monaco in 2017, he became the most expensive full-back in the world, commanding a £53 million fee and signing a generous six-year contract at an estimated £28 million. Under Pep Guardiola, he went on to win three Premier League titles and two League Cups. The left-back has 10 caps for France and was a member of the squad that won the World Cup in 2018.
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