Tottenham Hotspur star Serge Aurier was arrested on suspicion of assault on Saturday night after an incident allegedly involving him and his girlfriend.
He vehemently denied the allegations and was later released without charge but was detained for several hours the night before Spurs’ match with Manchester United, which he missed.
It’s not the first time Aurier has been in trouble with homophobic comments aimed at manager Laurent Blanc while at Paris Saint-Germain, while he also got into hot water over an incident with a police officer.
Upon joining Tottenham for £23million, the player claimed the move was a fresh start.
“This is a huge and exciting opportunity at a massive football club and I am determined to prove myself as a professional both on and off the pitch,” he told the club’s official website.
“This is a fresh start for me and I will do everything to make the Spurs fanbase, which is huge and diverse, proud of me. The fans are the most important people at any club and I am looking forward to showing them and everyone at Spurs the real Serge Aurier.”
Manager Mauricio Pochettino is unlikely to be happy with his right-back, who he could have done with against United as Kieran Trippier struggled.
Upon signing Aurier, the Argentine was asked what he would do if the Ivorian got into more trouble.
“I said to him, ‘I’d kill you’. I’d headbutt him,” the Spurs boss joked.
“I always try to feel what the player translates to you when you have a conversation and you meet,” he said. “It’s more important, the feeling that you get from people.”
He added: “I had a long chat with him. And I explain how we are, how I am, what I expect from him. And the commitment from him. But not only from him, the same conversation that we have with all the players before signing.
“I always try to feel what the player translates to you when you have a conversation and you meet,” he said. “It’s more important, the feeling that you get from people.
“I had a long chat with him. And I explain how we are, how I am, what I expect from him. And the commitment from him. But not only from him, the same conversation that we have with all the players before signing.”
It’s unlikely Pochettino will do as he joked but we could now see the end of Aurier as a Spurs player if the manager feels suitably betrayed.