Premier League footballer arrested over alleged rapes has bail extended

The Premier League footballer under investigation for two alleged rape offences has had his bail further extended by the Metropolitan police.

The player was arrested on 4 July and bailed until early October, extended from an initial date in August. He has now been bailed again pending approval from a magistrates court, which is likely to confirm the duration of his new bail conditions within the next week.

The force confirmed in late July that no further action would be taken regarding an alleged offence committed by the player in June 2021, but that investigations into two other allegations would continue. He was initially arrested on suspicion of a rape against a woman that was alleged to have happened in June this year, subsequently being taken into custody and further arrested on suspicion of two incidents of rape, which were alleged to have taken place in April 2021 and June 2021 against a different woman.

The Guardian has previously reported that the player’s club was made aware of a rape allegation against him last autumn. That allegation was reported to the Met last August. In March the force opened an investigation into that and another alleged rape by the player of the same woman that she had reported in February.

The player, who is not being named for legal reasons, continued to play in his club’s first team last season and has also been a regular in the side in 2022-23. The club confirmed in July that it would select him until further notice and that he would not be suspended.