Benjamin Mendy won most of his unpaid wages claim after being a defender for Manchester City. He can now get most of his pay back from the club, which stopped paying him in September 2021 because of criminal charges he was found not guilty of in 2023.
In a high-profile transfer from Monaco to City in 2017, Mendy claimed £11 million in unpaid salary. His contract with City ran until June 2023, but his FA suspension and arrest suspended his payments.
Judge Joanne Dunlop ruled that Mendy is entitled to his non-detention wages. City argued that Mendy should not be paid because of the legal proceedings and FA suspension. However, Judge Dunlop found that Mendy was “ready and willing to work” when not detained and only prevented from doing so by FA rules and bail conditions beyond his control.
The ruling clarifies that Manchester City was justified in withholding wages only for the five months Mendy was in custody, when he could not play. The judge ruled that City had to pay Mendy because his contract did not allow the club to withhold pay during an FA suspension or bail restrictions.
Mendy and the club will decide his salary. If they can’t agree, a hearing will decide the final payment.
Mendy’s last City game was in August 2021 before his arrest. Rape and attempted rape charges were dropped in January 2023. More charges were dropped in a retrial later that year, ending his legal troubles.
Mendy left City after his release and joined Lorient in Ligue 1 to restart his career. Mendy’s legal battle with Manchester City appears to be ending with this tribunal decision, allowing him to move on in his career and life.