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      Inside Benjamin Mendy’s £5M isolated mansion as ex-Man City star puts home on market

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      HERE are the lavish rooms inside the £5million mansion now put up for sale for Benjamin Mendy as he bids to avoid bankruptcy.Pictures have been revealed exploring the isolated home where footballer Mendy lived while playing for Manchester City when prosecuted for and ultimately cleared of alleged rape charges.
      Benjamin Mendy’s £5million Cheshire mansion has now been put up for saleCredit: Mercury
      The World Cup-winning defender has not played for Manchester City since 2021Credit: Getty
      His seven-bedroom gated home also features a swimming poolCredit: Mercury
      The World Cup winner, 29, has now put the gated property in Cheshire on the market – while also claiming up to £10million in unpaid wages from City for time he spent suspended from playing.
      He is being chased for an £800,000 tax debt by HMRC, who are seeking a bankruptcy order.
      His accountant has now told a court hearing Mendy was seeking “in the order of nine to 10million pounds gross” from the Premier League winners.
      Mendy’s home in Cheshire has been put on the market by estate agent Savills for £5million as the star attempts to claw back costs.
      Read More On Manchester City
      Glimpses inside the home were previously made public while he was in the dock before being cleared of all charges.
      Drone footage was played at Chester Crown Court last August including aerial shots above Mendy’s home 17 miles south of central Manchester.
      Jurors were also shown a police bodycam “walk-through” inside.
      Footage featured the ground floor including a swimming pool, jacuzzi and cinema room – while the property also featured an indoor football pitch.
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      Mendy has since made a comeback to football following his acquittal at Chester Crown Court last month.
      The France defender, on the bench when his country beat Croatia in the 2018 World Cup final, has signed for Lorient who play in Ligue 1.
      Mendy left Man City by mutual consent in June at the expiry of his contract – having not played for the Premier League and Champions League winners since 2021.
      The footballer wept after being cleared of rape and attempted rape on July 14.
      A jury acquitted him of attempting to rape a woman aged 29 as she showered at his home in October 2018.
      He was also found not guilty of raping a 24-year-old woman in a bedroom at his Cheshire home two years later.
      He celebrated his freedom that evening with pals by going out.
      And he turned up at the Pitts complex in Ardwick, Manchester, two days later for a kickabout with strangers.
      Mendy had last played for City against Tottenham Hotspur in August 2021 before being suspended by the club later that month when he was arrested.
      Mendy is seeking a buyer as he battles for unpaid wages from CityCredit: Mercury
      The France international footballer walked free from court last monthCredit: AFP
      Footage inside the property was shown to jurors when Mendy was on trialCredit: Mercury
      The home is about 17 miles from central ManchesterCredit: Mercury
      Mendy signed for French top-flight club Lorient last monthCredit: INSTAGRAM More

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      Shakira’s ex Gerard Piqué ‘moves new lover Clara Chia into couple’s old mansion’ after bitter divorce battle

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      SHAKIRA’S ex-Gerard Piqué has moved with his new lover Clara Chía into the couple’s old mansion, an insider claims.The footballer’s new home is reportedly the one where he lived with the Colombian star during her first pregnancy.
      Gerard Pique and his new girlfriend Clara ChiaCredit: Splash
      Shakira and Pique split after 11 years togetherCredit: AFAP
      “It was in 2012, the images of the pregnancy and going to the hospital were in that house,” journalist Pepe del Real told El Programa de Ana Rosa.
      Del Real claims the house is also Shakira’s first home in Spain.
      “Shakira lived in that house in 2012 when she arrived in Barcelona,” he said.
      “What’s more, the images of Shakira leaving the hospital, of her pregnant and arriving at the house were in that house, which is in the town of Cambrils.
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      “It’s quite secure, it’s not next to the sea but it does have a lot of privacy.”
      He added: “It is an old Piqué house, I imagine that he would have rented it or used it on a weekend.
      “It is not a new love nest, it is a house that they are going to use to go live or settle for summer with Clara Chía.”
      The couple will leave Piqué’s Barcelona city centre apartment and move into the mansion, located just a few metres away from the beach.
      Most read in Football
      The lavish home has several floors, a huge terrace, an infinity pool and a football pitch.
      Piqué’s move comes after his Shakira enjoyed three secret meetings with Lewis Hamilton at her Ibiza villa, an insider claimed.
      The Colombian star and F1 ace have sparked dating rumours after being spotted getting cosy at a string of events in recent months.
      Paparazzo Sergio Garrido told Spanish TV channel Telecinco that the pair met “three times in the Ibiza villa” where Shakira was staying earlier this month during a break in the F1 season.
      “When the workers left, the singer stayed alone with her private escort and received a visit from Hamilton,” he said.
      Garrido also claimed that Hamilton’s driver overheard the pilot’s “constant conversations” with the Latina singer.
      The paparazzo explained how Shakira and Lewis have coincided in space and time on the island of Pitiusa.
      Shakira, 46, split from her long-term footballer boyfriend last year and is now claimed to be “fast-tracking” her apparent love affair with Hamilton.
      Read More on The Sun
      Earlier this month, she was also spotted bathing in a river with Latino singer Rauw Alejandro.
      Hot on the heels of his split from his popstar fiancée Rosalía, the heartthrob and Shakira took a dip in a river to cool off from the scorching Puerto Rico sun.
      Shakira reportedly lived in the mansion when she first moved to Barcelona in 2012Credit: Getty
      Gerard Pique and his new girlfriend Clara Chia will move into the homeCredit: Instagram More

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      One-bedroom flat overlooking Premier League football stadium on market for £1,500 a month – would you snap it up?

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      A ONE-BEDROOM flat overlooking a Premier League football stadium is on the market for £1,500 a month.Apartments are available in the development located next to the Gtech Community Stadium in West London where Brentford FC play.
      Apartments are available next to the Gtech Community Stadium in West LondonCredit: Kew Bridge
      They feature a double bedroom with an en suite bathroomCredit: Kew Bridge
      The homes are described as “the perfect place to relax and unwind after a long day”.
      They feature a double bedroom with an en suite bathroom and furniture supplied by BoConcept.
      The flats also have a stylish open plan living space complete with a 2-seater sofa.
      The fitted kitchens include a dining space and fully integrated appliances.
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      The development is located by Kew Bridge station with transport links into central London and the M4.
      Apo, a residential management company that operates homes for rent, has them on the market for £1,500 to £2,100 per month.
      Residents can enjoy a complimentary gym membership, private lounges and roof terraces.
      The Bees left Griffin Park for the Gtech Community Stadium in September 2020.
      Most read in Football
      Thomas Frank’s side finished 13th in their debut campaign and kicked on in their second season to claim ninth – above local rivals Fulham and Chelsea.
      The fitted kitchens include a dining space and fully integrated appliancesCredit: Kew Bridge
      The flats also have a stylish open plan living spaceCredit: Kew Bridge More

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      I live next to crumbling football stadium ‘stuck in time’ – pitch view is amazing but awful noise at 5am is unbearable

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      EVERY time Southend United play at home, father-of-two Tyrone Buckingham has a near-perfect view of the game from his bedroom window.But rather than enjoying the action unfold at Essex’s biggest football stadium, most match days he can be found watching his beloved Arsenal play on television instead.
      Tyrone Buckingham’s home backs on to Southend United’s stadiumCredit: JOHN McLELLAN
      The decaying Roots Hall needs a revampCredit: Google Earth
      Tyrone is such a dedicated Gunners fan that he has painted the walls of his flat red and white.
      He moved into a flat overlooking decaying Roots Halls stadium by coincidence seven years ago and says he has become increasingly enraged by his lower league neighbours.
      As part of our Life’s a Pitch summer series, we visited the seaside city to see what locals made of life living next to the troubled team, which faces existential problems on and off the pitch.
      Tyrone, 35, told The Sun: “They are an absolute nightmare. They keep leaving their alarms on and they go off at all hours.
      Read More Life’s A Pitch
      “The alarms are regularly keeping me and my children up at night and I am a lorry driver so I have to be up at 4.30am.
      “The alarms have been an ongoing problem for years. We complained and it stopped for a while but now it has started again.
      “They went off at 2am the other night and kept going for hours. They are totally taking the Mickey.”
      To prove his point, Tyrone played us a recording he made of the alarm ringing outside his bedroom window.
      Most read in Football
      The high-pitched sound filled the speaker of his mobile phone as he showed our reporter the video, which he says was taken at 5.30am on a recent morning.
      He added: “My kids are aged three and six and we all need our sleep. The club also test their speakers at 10pm some nights and they had their floodlights on at about the same time last night.
      “I guess this would be a great flat for a Southend fan but I’m Arsenal – my bedroom is red and white – so I’ve got no interest in following their team.
      “I never, ever watch the games from my window and if the club decides to move to a new stadium that will be absolutely fine with me.”
      Floodlights and noise wake residents up at nightCredit: JOHN McLELLAN
      Local Paul Burton says the ground is ‘stuck in time’Credit: JOHN McLELLAN
      Tryone’s wish isn’t as fanciful at it might seem.
      In recent months, Southend United has been dragged back and forth from the courts over its financial difficulties, with fan group The Shrimpers Trust saying it remained under “existential threat” until owner Ron Martin sells up.
      This week, the National League granted the team a licence to start the season after it paid its staff for the first time in three months.
      A spokesman told The Sun: “Staff are fully up to date with their salaries.”
      The 117-year-old club lost its Football League status in 2021 following back-to-back relegations and Southend West MP Anna Firth recently raised its plight in Parliament.
      Martin has been trying to find a buyer for the club since March and earlier this month said he has done “everything in my power to close the deal quickly”.
      ‘Stuck in time’
      While all this goes on the stadium Roots Hall, which has been the Shrimpers’ home since 1955, is falling into a state of disrepair and fans have been gathering outside to protest.
      Policeman Paul Burton also lives next to the ground, although his upper-level flat does not boast a view of the pitch.
      Paul, 39, said: “The stadium is stuck in time. It’s like living next to a relic – nothing has changed over there for years.
      “The owner is not the most popular person in the world, but it’s a historic club and it will be a shame if they go under.
      “Last season they had the highest average attendance in the league. They can get 8,000 or 9,000 fans turning up if they are playing one of the big London teams in the cup.
      “It doesn’t bother me having them here at all. They only play once every two weeks and if I close my windows I can’t hear the crowd. Also, this is a nice area so I enjoy living here.”
      Flats overlook the stadium and can even see on to the pitchCredit: Getty
      Hazel Newbold says litter is a nightmare on match daysCredit: JOHN McLELLAN
      Supermarket worker Hazel Newbold is less keen on the Shrimpers remaining next door to her home, however.
      Southend’s chairman bought the club in 1998 with the intention of relocating them to a new stadium at Fossetts Farm, north of the city.
      But numerous delays – one caused by the discovery of a Bronze Age burial site – have caused the proposed move to become a painful saga, dragging on for years.
      Hazel, 54, said: “We get a lot of litter on match days – that’s my main gripe. The fans put beer bottles on our wall and they fall off and smash, which is dangerous for the children.
      “The club doesn’t clear up our street, only the path that leads to the stand next to our house.
      “The floodlights are an issue as they fill our bedrooms with light and you get a lot of glare.
      “We’ve heard the alarms too but we don’t know where they came from.”
      Hazel’s son Brad Newbold, 28, lives next door to her with his partner Nikki Crockett, 36, but they are now planning to move.
      Lorry driver Brad said: “I used to go and watch games at Roots Hall when I was younger and it was a decent stadium back then, but they’ve totally let it go.
      “The parking situation is a nightmare and will only get worse if the new homes get built as there will be so many more people living here then.”
      Receptionist Nikki added: “We’re moving into town where they have parking permits because we’ve had enough. We have both agreed that wherever we go, it’s not going to be near a football stadium.”
      ‘They’re a great team’
      One person that has been happy living next to the 12,000-plus capacity stadium is police officer Mel, 35, who remembers going to watch Southend with her grandfather as a little girl.
      Almost three years ago, when they first opened, she didn’t hesitate snapping up a one bedroom flat in the new apartment complex on neighbouring Fairfax Drive.
      Mel has asked us not to use her real name because of the sensitive line of work she is involved in.
      She said: “I’ve always loved football and you can see almost the entire pitch from the terrace next to my flat.
      “I didn’t buy it for that reason. It was just that I could get a mortgage here as a first-time buyer.
      “But I’ve loved living here and the only reason I am moving is that I need a bigger place.
      “The view is definitely a selling point and I’ve had a few people come round to view it and say, ‘Wow, you can see the football stadium!’
      Read More on The Sun
      “I’m going to be sad to leave and I really hope the club has a future as they’re a great team and all the players and staff are fantastic.”
      The Sun contacted Southend United for comment, who only confirmed that salaries have been paid. More

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      Scotland star working on property empire after snapping up homes on Ayrshire street sharing his name

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      SCOTLAND star Billy Gilmour is laying the foundations for a property empire after snapping up homes on a street sharing his name.The Tartan Army favourite, 22, has bought neighbouring semis in a road called Gilmour Wynd just miles from where he grew up, we can reveal.
      Scotland hero Billy Gilmour bought two neighbouring properties.
      Gilmour Wynd
      We told how entrepreneurial Billy set up a company to do up homes and sell them on at a profit like on TV’s Homes Under The Hammer — and now it boasts homes bearing his surname in Stevenston, Ayrshire.
      Last night a source said: “Legendary footballers often have streets or places named after them but Billy has adopted homes in a street already bearing his famous moniker.
      “He’s often a step ahead of the game. Maybe they’ll officially name a street after him if he takes Scotland to European Championship glory in Germany next year.”
      Billy, of nearby Ardrossan, set up BGil Property with dad William, 43. Records show it now has assets of £345,100.

      His management consultancy company BGil Image Ltd, founded when he was just 16, has assets of £455,718.
      Billy and dad William are listed as directors.
      Brighton & Hove Albion midfielder Billy was lauded for his display in Scotland’s 2-0 victory over Georgia last month.
      The lads are on the brink of reaching Euro 2024 after four qualifying group wins out of four.
      Most read in Football
      The former Rangers youth ace is not the only Scotland player past or present with property links.
      In 2019 Billy Bremner Way in Stirling was named after the legendary Leeds United hardman, who was born in the town.
      After Scotland qualified for Euro 2020, supporter David Little, from Glasgow, found a street matching the names of every player in the squad then travelled to each one to take selfies.
      Last year a new 4G football pitch at Our Lady’s High in Motherwell was dedicated to former pupil Billy McNeill, who captained Celtic to European Cup glory in 1967.
      We pay for your stories and videos! Do you have a story or video for The Scottish Sun? Email us at scoop@thesun.co.uk or call 0141 420 5200 More

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      We live in shadow of a Premier League stadium…it’s so noisy houses shake & we’re cut off from our homes on match days

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      RESIDENTS living in the shadow of a Premier League stadium say it’s so noisy that their houses shake.Home to newly-promoted Luton Town FC, Kenilworth Road is now buzzing with builders working to bring the 120-year-old ground up to Prem standards.
      Kenilworth Road is home to Luton Town FCCredit: Splash
      Builders are hastily bringing the ground up to Premier League standardCredit: Splash
      But locals in the area around the stadium said they are paying the price for the club’s success – and will be cut off from their home by police road closures on match days.
      Fuming resident Abdul, 50, lives yards away from the site of a new £10million stand.
      The street outside his home has already been closed to traffic for two full days this week so heavy construction lorries can access the football ground – and it is due to close again tomorrow.
      Abdul told how his whole kitchen shook when piledrivers were used to put in new foundations at the ground.
      Read More Football
      He said: “It made my cutlery drawer rattle. Sometimes they started work at 6am, but after we complained they’re not starting until 8.
      “We are treated as second class citizens.
      “They don’t even give us any notice that they’re closing the street.
      “They just stick up a sign up at teatime saying it will be closed the following day.
      Most read in Football
      “We pay between £60 and £100 for residents’ permits to park here. You can bet we won’t get a rebate.”
      Sacks of rubbish have been left festering on the pavement because binmen have been unable to drive down the street.
      Neighbour Jillur Rahman, 40, said: “The council don’t care. They disregard the need of residents and there’s no consultation.
      “They just come along about 5pm and stick up signs saying parking will be banned the following day. There’s no advance warning.
      “We buy permits so we can park outside our homes and then we find that we can’t. So what are we supposed to do?
      “My wife and I have already been fined more than £100 because we parked in the wrong place, and nobody seems to care.
      “This is the most deprived part of Luton so we get picked on. The council wouldn’t dream of doing this in other areas of the town.”
      PARKING MAD
      Mum-of-five Prvin Begum, who has lived in Beech Road for 42 years, said: “I don’t watch football, but I think it is brilliant that Luton have been promoted to the Premier League.
      “It’s bound to be good for the town. Of course, it’ll probably get a bit rowdy on match days.
      “But apart from the parking – which is always a problem – I think it will be fine.”
      Harry Hussain, 38, who runs a nearby grocery shop, said: “It’s exciting for the team to be back in the Premier League when 10 years ago they were in the National League.
       But I don’t know what fans from big clubs such as Manchester City and Liverpool will think when they see Kenilworth Road.
      “They’ll be like this must be a mistake!”
      Lifelong local Mohammed Ahmed said: “Despite living so near to the ground, I don’t really watch football.
      “But we can hear everything going on in the match from our living room. So maybe I’ll start supporting them next season.”
      Warehouse operative Shah Noor, 39, of Beech Road, said: “I work at night and it can be a bit difficult getting to sleep while the construction work.
       “The crowd noise at evening matches can be a bit of a problem too, especially as we have a 19-month-old baby.
      Read More on The Sun
      “But I’m a Luton supporter – so I’m very excited about their promotion.”
      Luton Borough Council has been contacted for comment.
      Parking permits around the ground cost up to £100Credit: Splash More

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      I live next to world’s oldest football stadium – there are crazy benefits but I often get soaked when I sit in my garden

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      IT is thought to be the oldest professional football ground in the world.And residents living next to Mansfield Town’s One Call Stadium are having a ball – even if it means one occasionally lands in their garden.
      Mandy Colley, 49, whose house is next to the away supporters stand of Mansfield Town’s football groundCredit: Raymonds Press
      One Call Stadium – known by fans as the Field Mill – is thought to be the oldest professional football ground in the world
      In the heart of the Nottinghamshire town’s former mining community, the historic ground – formerly known as the Field Mill and dating back as far as 1850 – is slapped bang in the middle of tightly-packed Victorian housing.
      It means that on match days, locals can hear 6,000 fans celebrating a goal from their back yard – and face the double threat of rogue balls and water from the pitch sprinklers ruining sunbathing sessions.

      But there are also unique benefits, including free match tickets in seasons past and the annual spectacle of a dazzling fireworks display.
      As part of our summer series, Life’s a Pitch, which looks at life next to Britain’s weirdest and most wonderful stadiums, we took a trip down to the League Two side’s home turf.
      Read More in Sport
      Tracey Anne Pepper, 56, lives on Lord Street, where houses back on to one side of the One Call.
      The resident of 30 years says: “I absolutely love living here. We are quite lucky because although we are right next to the ground, we don’t get big crowds of people walking up here.
      “But on most match days you will get a handful of away fans wandering around looking a bit lost as they think they will be able to get in.
      “It’s also fun when balls come over during a match. They bounce down the road and people have been known to grab them before anyone comes around to collect them then pretend they didn’t see anything.
      Most read in Football
      Tracey Anne Pepper, 56, says you used to get a free match ticket if a ball landed in your gardenCredit: Raymonds Press
      The 6,000 seater ground overlooks Victorian terracesCredit: Raymonds Press
      “In the past you used to get a free match ticket if you handed back a match ball, but that ended a while ago.
      “But the best thing is probably the atmosphere. If you are a Mansfield fan like me it’s great when you hear a goal go in. The roar is so loud and it really lifts you. You don’t even need to check on your phone or the radio if there has been a goal.”
      Last season Mansfield Town finished eighth in League Two, narrowly missing the play-offs, which would have given them the chance of getting promoted.
      The Stags’ only cup win came when they lifted the English Football League trophy back in 1987, but their loyal fanbase has stuck with them through thick and thin, with a record 5,000 season tickets sold ahead of the upcoming season.
      ‘Like it’s raining’
      Mandy Connolly, 49, lives right next to the ground, and her back garden is just 30 yards from the away stand, with just a fence separating them.
      She’s so close that the pitch sprinklers reach her garden – ruining sunbathing sessions.
      Mandy said: “If you’re not into football, I can see that it might be a bit annoying. But I like it – although I am a Leicester City fan, not Mansfield – so I find living here really interesting.
      “There are loads of funny little things you get when your house is next to a football ground. I can sit in my garden and see the fans in the away end leaping up and down if they score.
      “I have been here six years and had four balls in my garden in that time. Any that aren’t collected I give to local kids, which absolutely delights them.
      “When they water the pitch with the sprinklers it comes into my garden – sometimes it’s like it’s raining, and I have to get my washing in off the line.
      “The pitch is also used as a helipad at times, which must be the owner flying in and out. It’s fascinating to watch the helicopters as they land and take off.
      “And we get a free firework display every bonfire night as the club always hosts a really spectacular one.”
      The cul-de-sac means fans don’t crowd the roads on match days, although you still see the floodlightsCredit: Raymonds Press
      An annual fireworks display divides residentsCredit: mansfieldtownfc/twitter
      While parking can be an issue for those living close to other stadiums on match days, Mansfield locals insist it’s not a problem.
      Lord Street is a cul-de-sac, meaning there is no entrance to the stadium, and since it is so close to the town centre, the council has imposed a residents-only permit system.
      Hotel worker Lesleigh Butler, 36, said: “I’ve been here seven years and have never had a problem.
      When they water the pitch with the sprinklers it comes into my garden – sometimes it’s like it’s raining, and I have to get my washing in off the lineMandy Connolly, local resident
      “The only thing I actually don’t like is the firework display, because the street is left covered in firework casings.
      “Other than that the atmosphere is good and if Mansfield are doing well in the league or cup there is a good feeling on the street because you all feel part of it, living so close.
      “So really we have a lot of the benefits of living next to a stadium, without the negatives like traffic, crowds or litter.
      “A few years ago they were talking about buying up all the houses at the top end of the street so they could redevelop the Bishop Street Stand – but that seems to have gone quiet.
      “A lot of them are owned by people who have been here for years though – which shows it is a nice place to live.”
      Mandy Tolley, 52, works in the Sandy Pate sports bar at the ground.
      Read More on The Sun
      She said: “It’s perfect for me because I can roll out of bed and get straight to work.
      “I’m not a Mansfield fan – you have supporters of all different teams living on this street. But everyone gets on, and overall it’s a pretty happy place.” More

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      Football star, 20, found dead at home as tributes pour in for ‘amazing’ player who ‘had a bright future’

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      A STAR football player has been found dead in her home with tributes pouring in for the “amazing” player.Thalia Chaverria was a junior at New Mexico State University when she was found in her Bakersfield, California home on Monday.
      She helped lead her team to their first conference win in historyCredit: nmstatewsoc instagram
      She had just turned 20 when she diedCredit: nmstatewsoc instagram
      The Las Cruces Police Department have said the death is not thought to be suspicious at this time.
      Tributes have poured in for the gifted young woman.
      Mario Moccia, the director of athletics at NMS, said: “Yesterday, we lost an amazing young woman, and we are deeply saddened by the untimely passing of a member of our Aggie family.
      “Thalia had a vibrant personality and those who were fortunate enough to spend time with her knew she had a bright future ahead of her.”
      READ MORE IN FOOTBALL
      Thalia helped the football team earn its first conference title in history, friends said.
      She starred in 20 games and was entering her third season as a defender for the Aggies.
      Head coach Rob Baarts said: “The sudden loss of Thalia has completely rocked our Aggie soccer families’ world.
      “She was an inspiration and rock to this team. She will be missed but not forgotten.
      Most read in Football
      “Her spirit will be with us everyday, on and off the pitch. I will always love you T!”
      The star football player was found in her homeCredit: nmstatewsoc instagram More