Benjamin Mendy shirts and merch pulled from Manchester City website after rape charges

ALL Benjamin Mendy merchandise has been pulled from the Manchester City website after he was charged with rape and sexual assault.

The 27-year-old football star faces spending Christmas in prison while awaiting trial over the allegations.

The £52million France international appeared at Chester Crown Court on September 10 to face four counts of rape and one of sexual assault.

Mendy - dressed in a cream jumper and trousers - was remanded in custody and will appear in court on November 15, with a trial date set for January 24.

Man City suspended the Premier League left-back in August, pending an investigation.

And he is now missing from the club's official online shop, with fans unable to buy shirts with his name and number on the back.

It is not even possible to search for "Mendy" in the search bar, nor can users browse Mendy products under the "shop by player" option.

He does, however, remain on the squad list with a full bio detailing his career.

The five charges against Mendy relate to three people aged over 16.

They are alleged to have taken place between October last year and August 2021 at his home in Prestbury, Cheshire.

He is charged with three counts of rape against one alleged victim in October, one charge of sexual touching against a second alleged ­victim in January and one charge of rape against a third alleged victim in August.

Mendy appeared in court alongside Louis Saha Matturie, 40, who is charged with four counts of rape relating to three complainants over the age of 16 between April and August.

Matturie, of Eccles, Greater Manchester, was described as a “runner” for Mendy when he made his first court appearance.

Mendy, who joined City in 2017 from Monaco, earns about £100,000 a week.

Since joining the Blues, he has won the ­Premier League three times, two League Cups and the Community Shield, despite making just 50 appearances for the club.