Manchester City footballer Benjamin Mendy will appear for a further court hearing in May, ahead of his trial on sex charges, a judge has ordered.

Mendy, 27, is accused of nine charges in all, including seven counts of rape involving six alleged victims.

On Friday Judge Steven Everett, Recorder of Chester, ordered a further two-day pre-trial hearing starting on May 23, which Mendy and his co-accused, Louis Saha Matturie, must attend.

Both defendants, who are on bail, were excused attendance from Friday’s hearing at Chester Crown Court.

The hearing, lasting an hour, dealt with administrative and evidence matters, which cannot be reported ahead of the jury trial.

Judge Everett confirmed the trial date for both men as July 25, with the trial expected to last up to six weeks.

Mendy, of Withinlee Road, Prestbury, Cheshire, is accused of nine offences relating to six alleged victims.

They include seven counts of rape relating to four women, one of sexual assault and one of attempted rape.

Louis Saha Matturie, 40, of Eccles, Salford, is accused of 10 offences, involving seven women, including seven counts of rape relating to five women and three of sexual assault.

All the charges span a period of time between late 2020 and August 2021 and both accused were first arrested on August 26 last year.

None of the women involved can be identified by law as complainants of sexual offences.

Mendy has played for Manchester City since 2017, when he joined from Monaco for a reported £52 million.

He was suspended by the club after being charged by police.