Former Manchester City defender Benjamin Mendy has completed a permanent move to Swiss club FC Zurich, marking a fresh chapter in his football career.
Mendy, who has been in the headlines for legal battles, was accused of multiple sexual offenses but was acquitted after trials found no concrete evidence against him. The 28-year-old was accused of raping a 24-year-old woman at his £4 million mansion in Mottram St Andrew, Cheshire, in October 2020. Additionally, he faced an attempted rape allegation involving a 29-year-old woman, who claimed he had assaulted her at his home two years earlier.
In January, Mendy was cleared of six rape charges and one count of sexual assault in a previous trial. However, jurors were unable to reach verdicts on two remaining charges, leading to a retrial. After three weeks of proceedings at Chester Crown Court, a jury of six men and six women deliberated for approximately three hours and 15 minutes before returning not-guilty verdicts.
Upon hearing the verdicts, Mendy broke down in tears. Judge Steven Everett then ordered his immediate release from the dock, stating, “Mr. Mendy can be discharged from the dock.”
Following the expiration of his contract with Manchester City earlier this year, Mendy has now secured a move to FC Zurich, where he aims to revive his career and move forward from the legal challenges that overshadowed his time in England.
