Manchester City's Benjamin Mendy has been found not guilty of six counts of rape and one count of sexual assault, but will face a retrial on two outstanding charges.
After a trial lasting around six months, the 28-year-old has been cleared of seven of the nine charges against him, with the jury at Chester Crown Court unable to reach verdicts on two other charges.
Mendy's friend Louis Saha Matturie, 41, was also accused of various sex offences against young women and was found not guilty of three counts of rape.
Mendy covered his face with both hands while sat in a hushed courtroom, gently rocking back and forth, as the jury foreman repeated "not guilty" to the six counts related to four young women or teenagers.
The unanimous verdicts were delivered on Wednesday by the seven men and four women on the jury, one juror having been discharged earlier for medical reasons.
The verdicts could not be reported until jurors concluded considering the remaining two counts, after they were given a majority direction by Judge Steven Everett, meaning that he would accept a 10-1 majority on any verdict.
The jury was discharged by Judge Everett on Friday after more than 60 hours of deliberations over 14 days.
Mendy's retrial is due to take place on June 26 following discussions with lawyers.
A statement from Man City read: "Manchester City FC notes the verdict from Chester Crown Court today, where a jury has found Benjamin Mendy not guilty of seven charges. The jury is hung on two charges and the trial is now over.
"Given there are open matters related to this case, the club is not in a position to comment further at this time."
Man City suspended Mendy when he was arrested in August 2021 and they stopped paying him in September 2021.
The Frenchman, who was signed by the Premier League club for a reported £52m in 2017, will see his contract expire this summer. body check tags ::
