- Benjamin Mendy joined Lorient last summer after being sacked by Man City
- Mendy made 15 appearances in the 2023-24 season as Lorient were relegated
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Former Manchester City left-back Benjamin Mendy has been told by new manager Olivier Pantaloni that he is not wanted at Lorient.
Mendy joined the French club in July last year, 23 months after his last appearance for City.
The 30-year-old made 15 appearances during the injury-plagued 2023-24 campaign for Lorient, who were relegated from Ligue 1 last season.
Mendy has effectively been sidelined since Pantaloni replaced Regis Le Bris, now manager of Sunderland, as Lorient manager in June.
Pantaloni has not included Mendy in any of his matchday squads this season, with Lorient winning both matches in his absence.
Benjamin Mendy could leave Lorient after being told he is no longer wanted
Olivier Pantaloni is the new manager of Lorient after joining from Ajaccio earlier this summer
Isaak Toure, Jean-Victor Makengo and former Chelsea midfielder Tiemoue Bakayoko (£40m) are also said to feature outside Pantaloni’s plans.
At a press conference on Thursday, Pantaloni said: ‘From a sporting point of view, they know that these are not the players I necessarily want in the group.
‘I do not want the balance in the group to be disturbed or even hindered by the arrival of players who do not want to travel with FC Lorient.’
Mendy was targeted by Lorient fans after the club were relegated last season.
Lorient beat Clermont 5-0 on the final day of the season, but it wasn’t enough to keep them in second place, having already lost seven times in a row.
Mendy was told to ‘leave’ the club and was called a ‘rapist’ by angry fans. After Lorient beat up Clermont in May, he was booed as he left the stadium.
Mendy was the subject of a trial from August 2021 to July 2023, after which he was acquitted of all charges.
He was charged with eight counts of rape, one count of attempted rape and one count of sexual assault, but he pleaded not guilty to all counts.
In January 2023, Mendy was acquitted of six charges of rape and one of sexual assault. Six months later, he was acquitted of all outstanding charges in a retrial.
Mendy made 15 appearances in Ligue 1 during the 2023-24 season as Lorient were relegated
Former Manchester City left back Mendy, pictured looking emotional in July last year after being cleared of rape and attempted rape at Chester Crown Court
Mendy, pictured in 2018, played his 75th and final game for Manchester City in August 2021
Manchester City suspended Mendy in August 2021 after he was first charged by police.
Mendy, who spent four months in custody, was released by City in June 2023 after his contract expired.
In November last year, it was reported that Mendy was suing City for £10million in unpaid wages after they failed to pay him during his criminal trial.
Mendy made 75 appearances during his City career, including 50 in the Premier League, after joining from AS Monaco for £52million in 2017.
