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

The 29-year-old, who currently plays for French club Lorient, claims that City stopped paying his salary in September 2021 after he was accused of rape and sexual assault, a case in which he was acquitted.

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.

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”.