Benjamin Mendy's football career is in serious jeopardy. On Thursday, the Man City defender was charged with four counts of rape and one count of sexual assault by the Cheshire Police. Via The Athletic's Adam Crafton:

As noted, the charges against Benjamin Mendy stem from October 2020 to August of 2021, with three complainants over 16-years-old. The City player was arrested and will appear in court on Friday.

As a result, the club has suspended Mendy pending further investigation by the police:

These types of cases are extremely serious and there's a good chance that Benjamin Mendy's career could be over because of it. While he still holds the right to defend himself in court, it's undoubtedly an awful situation.

Mendy joined Man City from Monaco in 2017 on a five-year deal but has made just 50 appearances since due to injuries. Last term, he played 13 league games for the side and scored two goals. The left-back started City's opening game against Tottenham this season but was left on the bench as an unused substitute in their 5-0 victory over Norwich City last weekend.

It seems unlikely we'll ever see Benjamin Mendy on the pitch for Man City again after these shocking charges. Very wild stuff.