Ex-Man City player Benjamin Mendy joins Lorient days after being cleared of rape – Soccer News

Former Manchester Metropolis defender Benjamin Mendy has signed a two-year take care of French membership Lorient, 5 days after being cleared of rape.

Mendy left Metropolis final month on the expiration of his contract, having not performed for the Premier League and Champions League winners since 2021.

The 29-year-old was cleared of rape and tried rape at Chester Crown Courtroom final Friday.

Mendy, who progressed by way of Le Harve’s academy earlier than establishing himself throughout three seasons at Marseille, joined Metropolis in 2017 for a reported payment of £52million after a solitary marketing campaign with Monaco.

Benjamin Mendy indicators two years at FC Lorient.

The press launch https://t.co/upslF01fWp pic.twitter.com/KzuQSLVD4f

– FC LORIENT (@FCLorient) July 19, 2023

He would go on to be concerned in three Premier League title wins with Pep Guardiola’s facet however his final look occurred through the opening sport of the 2021-22 in defeat at Tottenham.

Later that very same month, Mendy was reprimanded in custody after being charged with 4 counts of rape and one depend of sexual assault in August 2021.

Metropolis suspended the French full-back, who was granted bail the next January however solely after being charged with three extra counts of rape.

In Could 2022, Mendy pleaded not responsible to seven expenses of rape, one tried rape and one sexual assault.

The subsequent month he was charged with one other depend of rape, and in September he was discovered not responsible on one cost of rape.

Mendy was discovered not responsible of six counts of rape and one court docket of sexual assault in January, however the identical jury couldn’t attain a verdict on one other depend of rape and one depend of tried rape.

It noticed a retrial and final week Mendy was discovered not responsible of 1 cost of rape and one cost of tried rape, which has allowed the defender to renew his skilled profession.

Lorient completed tenth in Ligue 1 final season underneath Regis Le Bris and the participant will start work together with his new membership on Wednesday.

“FC Lorient is happy to announce at the moment the signing for 2 seasons of French worldwide left-back Benjamin Mendy,” a membership assertion learn.

“The native of Longjumeau, who will put on quantity 5 with the Merlus, will take his first steps at Espace FCL at the moment. Welcome Benjamin!”