- Benjamin Mendy joined Lorient last summer after being released by Manchester City.
- Mendy played 15 times in the 2023-24 campaign 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 does not want him 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 an injury-hit 2023-24 campaign for Lorient, who were relegated from Ligue 1 last season.
Mendy has been virtually ruled out since Pantaloni replaced Regis Le Bris, now in charge of Sunderland, as Lorient manager in June.
Pantaloni has not called Mendy into any of his squads this season, and Lorient have won both games in his absence.
Benjamin Mendy could leave Lorient after learning that he is no longer wanted
Olivier Pantaloni is the new coach of Lorient after arriving from Ajaccio at the beginning of this summer
Isaak Toure, Jean-Victor Makengo and £40m-rated former Chelsea midfielder Tiemoue Bakayoko are also understood to have no place in Pantaloni’s plans.
Speaking at a news conference on Thursday, Pantaloni said: “From a sporting point of view, they know that these are not players that I particularly want to have in the group.
“I don’t want the balance of the group to be disturbed or even undermined by the arrival of players who don’t want to experience FC Lorient.”
Mendy was in the crosshairs of Lorient fans following the club’s relegation last season.
Lorient beat Clermont 5-0 on the final day of the season, but that was not enough to retain the title, coming after seven consecutive defeats.
Mendy was ordered to “stay away” from the club and referred to as a “rapist” by angry fans, as well as being heavily booed as he left the stadium after Lorient thrashed Clermont in May.
Mendy was the subject of a judicial process from August 2021 to July 2023, when he was acquitted of all charges.
He had been charged with eight counts of rape, one of attempted rape and one of sexual assault, but pleaded not guilty to all charges.
Mendy was acquitted of six counts of rape and one of sexual assault in January 2023, before a retrial six months later found him not guilty of all outstanding charges.
Mendy played 15 times in Ligue 1 during the 2023-24 campaign as Lorient were relegated.
Former Manchester City left-back Mendy pictured in July last year looking emotional 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 on remand, was subsequently sacked by City in June 2023 following the expiry of his contract.
In November last year, it was reported that Mendy was suing City for £10m in unpaid wages after they stopped paying him during his criminal trial.
Mendy made 75 appearances during his City career, including 50 in the Premier League, following his £52million arrival from Monaco in 2017.
