In a recent development, Benjamin Mendy, the former left-back for Manchester City, has embarked on a fresh chapter in his football career by signing a two-year contract with Lorient, a team in Ligue 1. This move comes after Mendy was acquitted of the remaining criminal charges levied against him.
Back in the summer of 2021, the 29-year-old player was initially suspended by Manchester City following his arrest on allegations of rape, attempted rape, and sexual assault. However, in January, Mendy was found not guilty of six counts of rape and one count of sexual assault involving five women. Unfortunately, the jury was unable to reach verdicts on one count of rape and one count of attempted rape at that time.
A retrial commenced at Chester Crown Court towards the end of June. Recently, a new jury cleared Mendy of the charges relating to the rape of a 24-year-old woman and the attempted rape of a 29-year-old woman. As a result, he is now able to resurrect his football career.
Upon the expiration of his contract with Manchester City at the end of June, Mendy was officially released by the club. Subsequently, the former French international decided to return to his homeland and join Lorient. The Stade du Moustoir will be his new home, as he has agreed to a two-year deal with Les Merlus, lasting until the conclusion of the 2024-25 season.
Mendy will sport the number five jersey for Lorient, a team that regained promotion to Ligue 1 in 2020 and secured a respectable 10th place finish in the 2022-23 campaign.
After spending six years in England, Mendy is now back in his native France. His journey began when he joined Manchester City from Monaco in a high-profile transfer worth £49.9 million in the summer of 2017.
Before his unfortunate arrest and subsequent suspension, Mendy showcased his skills on the pitch, accumulating 75 appearances for Pep Guardiola’s side across various tournaments. During his tenure, he contributed two goals and 14 assists. Unfortunately, injuries plagued his time at the Etihad, causing him to miss a total of 123 matches due to a range of physical ailments, including a ruptured cruciate ligament in his debut season.
Mendy’s final outing in a Manchester City shirt occurred in a 1-0 defeat against Tottenham Hotspur on the opening day of the 2021-22 Premier League season. However, he was not called upon to participate in their subsequent 5-0 triumph over Norwich City six days later.
Prior to his stint in Manchester, the young talent honed his skills at Le Havre and Marseille. With Monaco, he clinched the Ligue 1 title in the 2016-17 season. Furthermore, Mendy enjoyed a fruitful spell with Manchester City, securing four Premier League titles, four EFL Cups, one FA Cup, and two Community Shields.
On the international stage, Mendy has represented France on ten occasions, playing a pivotal role in their victorious 2018 World Cup campaign. Regrettably, he has not featured for Les Bleus since November 2019.
Now, as Mendy embarks on his new journey with Lorient, football enthusiasts eagerly await his return to the field, hoping to witness his skills and contributions in the seasons to come.