Benjamin Mendy intends to seek financial compensation from Manchester City, it has been claimed.
Last month Mendy signed for Ligue 1 side Lorient on a two-year deal, just five days after being cleared of rape.
The 29-year-old, whose City contract expired in the summer, was cleared at Chester Crown Court of raping a woman and attempting to rape another. That followed a trial in January when Mendy was cleared of six counts of rape and one of sexual assault.
Mendy became the world’s most expensive defender in 2017 when City paid £52million for the French left-back. Indeed, he was described at the time by City's director of football Txiki Begiristain as "one of the world's best full-backs".
Mendy went on to win the Premier League in his first season with City before being part of the France squad that won the 2018 World Cup in Russia.
However, his last competitive game was in August 2021 against Tottenham Hotspur. Later that month the Frenchman was remanded in custody until January 2022 before going to trial for the first time in August of that year.French publication L’Equipe has claimed Mendy intends to seek financial compensation from City after being suspended by the Premier League side.
Indeed, the outlet claimed talks between the newly-signed Lorient defender and his former employers have already started.When Mendy was suspended by City, once news of his arrest had been made public in August 2021, his wages were allegedly frozen by the club.
And L’Equipe have claimed that the player is considering under what conditions he could recover all or at least, a portion of those frozen wages.
Lorient, who finished 10th in Ligue 1 last season, announced Mendy's return to French football last month.
In a statement, the club said: "Benjamin Mendy, world champion 2018, quadruple winner of the Premier League under the colours of Manchester City and French champion of Ligue 1 with Monaco, comes to reinforce the Lorient workforce for this new season. Welcome Benjamin."
While the French club are set to begin their league campaign at champions Paris St-Germain on 13 August, Mendy is not expected to be fit in time for the season opener.
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