- Benjamin Mendy joined Lorient last summer after being let go by Man 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 that he is not wanted at Lorient by new manager Olivier Pantaloni.
Mendy joined the French club in July last year, 23 months after his final appearance for City.
The 30-year-old featured in 15 games during an injury-affected 2023-24 campaign for Lorient, who were relegated from Ligue 1 last season.
Mendy has effectively been frozen out since Pantaloni replaced Regis Le Bris, now in charge of Sunderland, as Lorient manager in June.
Pantaloni has not selected Mendy in either of his matchday squads this season, with Lorient winning both of those games in his absence.
Benjamin Mendy could be set to leave Lorient after being told that he is no longer wanted
Olivier Pantaloni is the new manager of Lorient after arriving from Ajaccio earlier this summer
Isaak Toure, Jean-Victor Makengo and former £40million Chelsea midfielder Tiemoue Bakayoko are also understood to have no place in Pantaloni’s plans.
Speaking at a press conference on Thursday, Pantaloni said: ‘Sportingly, 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 hampered by the arrival in the team of players who do not want to experience a journey with FC Lorient.’
Mendy was targeted by 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 keep them up, as it came after seven consecutive losses.
Mendy was told to ‘get away’ from the club and referred to as a ‘rapist’ by the angry supporters, as well as being booed heavily as he left the stadium after Lorient thrashed Clermont in May.
Mendy was the subject of legal proceedings from August 2021 until July 2023, when he was cleared of all charges.
He had been charged with eight counts of rape, one of attempted rape, and one of sexual assault, but he pleaded not guilty on all charges.
Mendy was cleared of six counts of rape and one of sexual assault in January 2023, before a re-trial six months later found him not guilty on 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 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 last game for Manchester City in August 2021
Man City suspended Mendy in August 2021 after he was first charged by police.
Mendy – who spent four months in prison while on remand – was later let go by City in June 2023 following the expiration of his contract.
In November last year, it was reported that Mendy was suing City for £10million in unpaid wages after they stopped paying him during his criminal trial.
Mendy played 75 games during his City career, including 50 in the Premier League, following his £52m arrival from Monaco in 2017.
