July 22- Swiss club FC Zurich have terminated the contract of Benjamin Mendy, the club confirmed on Monday.
In a brief statement, FC Zurich wrote that the parties “have reached a mutual agreement to end their collaboration, effective immediately.”
“FCZ and Mendy part ways on good terms and the club extends its best wishes to Benjamin for his future endeavours, both on and off the pitch,” the confirmation added.
The former Manchester City player and 2018 World Cup winner featured eight times for Zurich, but never convinced. He had a contract until the end of 2026.
Zurich’s signing of the full-back prompted negative reaction in Switzerland. In 2021, Mendy was arrested for alleged sexual offenses and spent several months in custody. Two years later, Mendy was cleared of raping four women and sexually assaulting another. He was later also found not guilty of two other charges, one of rape and one of attempted rape after a retrial.
In February, FC Zurich had signed Mendy from French club Lorient. “We are naturally very pleased and also a little proud that we were able to sign such a top-class player. He will be an important support for our young players in particular,” said club president Ancillo Canepa at the time.
At the end of June however, Canepa had hinted at Mendy’s departure. In a podcast with local media, he said: “It’s certainly not what we expected. Mentally and physically, he wasn’t at his best at all, played very badly, conceded goals and got injured. All in all, it wasn’t a happy story.”
On Friday, FC Zurich open the new season of the Swiss Super League against FC Sion at their Letzigrund home.
Contact the writer of this story, Samindra Kunti, at moc.l1754225875labto1754225875ofdlr1754225875owedi1754225875sni@i1754225875tnuk.1754225875ardni1754225875mas1754225875