Former Manchester City defender Benjamin Mendy has secured a partial victory in his £11 million claim for unpaid wages against the Premier League club. Mendy’s case, filed last year, sought compensation for wages withheld from September 2021, when he was charged with sexual offences, until his contract ended in June 2023. Mendy was later acquitted of all charges, arguing in his claim that City unlawfully withheld his wages and had promised to pay him upon his acquittal.
City’s defense argued that Mendy was not eligible for payment, citing his inability to perform duties due to custody and breaches of bail conditions. However, Employment Judge Joanne Dunlop ruled that Mendy would receive the majority of his unpaid salary, barring the five months he spent in custody. Dunlop stated that Mendy was “ready and willing to work” when not in custody and that City lacked contractual grounds to withhold his salary when he was suspended or under restrictive bail conditions.
Mendy, who joined City in 2017 from AS Monaco for £52 million, had been earning an annual salary of £6 million. Following his retrial and acquittal, he has resumed his career with French Ligue 2 club Lorient.
