Benjamin Mendy drags Man City to court over unpaid wages

Former Manchester City defender Benjamin Mendy has filed a multi-million-pound lawsuit against the club at an employment tribunal for alleged unauthorised wage deductions while he faced criminal charges.

Recall that the 29-year-old was in July 2023, cleared of the rape and attempted rape charges and left City when his contract expired in June.

It is alleged City stopped paying Mendy in September 2021 after he was initially charged and held in custody.

His lawyer, Nick De Marco, confirmed launching legal action seeking all owed wages up until his City contract expired in June 2023. The claim accuses the Premier League champions of withholding pay for nearly two years while the cases were ongoing.

Mendy became the world’s costliest defender when he joined City from Monaco for £52 million in 2017. He won three league titles but last played in August 2021, just before his arrest.

The statement from Mendy’s legal team said he was paid nothing over 21 months until his deal ended despite being cleared of all counts. It argues City was not contractually entitled to impose such a lengthy wage suspension.

“Nick De Marco KC (instructed by Laffer Abogados (Madrid) is acting for the former Manchester City player Benjamin Mendy in a multi-million-pound claim for unauthorised deductions from wages.

“Manchester City FC failed to pay Mr Mendy any wages at all from September 2021, following Mr Mendy being charged with various offence 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,” the statement read.

Mendy, who was reportedly paid around £100,000 ($125,000) per week by City, is seeking the return of pay he is owed up until the end of his contract with the treble winners.

A three-time Premier League champion with City, Mendy last played for Pep Guardiola’s team in 2021 and joined French club Lorient at the start of this season.