Manchester City footballer Benjamin Mendy has denied nine sexual offences against six young women.

The 27-year-old stood in the dock at Chester Crown Court where he entered pleas for the first time and repeated: “Not guilty.”

The French international has denied seven counts of rape, one count of sexual assault and one count of attempted rape – all relating to six complainants.

All the offences are said to have taken place at the defender’s home address between October 2018 and August last year.

Mendy entered his pleas during a hearing on Monday ahead of his trial, which is due to begin later this year.

He will stand before a jury on 25 July along with his co-defendant Louis Saha Matturie, 40, who has also entered not guilty pleas to all charges.

Matturie, from Eccles, Salford, denies eight counts of rape and four counts of sexual assault, relating to eight young women, with the alleged offences taking place between July 2012 and August last year.

Manchester City unveil statue of Sergio Aguero on 10th anniversary of Premier League title-winning goal

Erling Haaland: Manchester City reach deal to sign Borussia Dortmund striker

Atletico Madrid could face UEFA action after ugly scenes in Champions League clash against Manchester City

The hearing went into a private session with the press excluded from the courtroom after both defendants entered their pleas.

They were both given bail in January after being in custody since they were first arrested on 28 August 2020.

Mendy joined Manchester City in 2017 from Monaco for a reported £52m and was suspended by the club in August.

He has also made 10 appearances for the France national team, including 40 minutes in the 2018 World Cup as France won the tournament.

Related posts:

‘Smell training’ prescribed to tackle COVID-19 scent loss ‘It’s greed – pure greed’: Only a total overhaul at the top will satisfy these Manchester United fans Fares Maatou: 14-year-old boy charged with teenager’s murder in Newham Former soldier on trial over fatal shooting in Northern Ireland has died after getting COVID Alta Fixsler, 2, dies with ‘parents by her side’ after life support machine is switched off ‘I am ashamed’: Cricketer Azeem Rafiq apologises for antisemitic messages in 2011 NHS to tackle ‘unacceptable inequalities’ in maternity care Man who stalked Emma Raducanu and stole her dad’s shoe handed restraining order ‘Adapt or die’: Climate change expected to make destructive flooding worse with more lives put at risk ‘This is win or die’: Ukrainian ambassador thanks UK as thousands join anti-war rally Man arrested as police release picture of mother stabbed to death while children were at school UK to be hit by cold front sending temperatures plummeting as low as minus 5C