Former England and Premier League footballer arrested on suspicion of attempted rape

Essex Police were alerted and the man was driven to a local police station. File picture

A former England and Premier League footballer has been arrested on suspicion of attempted rape.

The man, who played for the national team in the 2010s, was stopped at Stansted Airport in Essex on Sunday, The Sun reported.

He was reportedly pulled aside by Border Force officers as he was walking through passport control to board a flight.

Essex Police were alerted and the man was driven to a local police station.

The Sun reported that he had been wanted by police over a non-recent allegation of attempted rape.

An Essex Police spokesperson said: “A man has been arrested on suspicion of attempted rape and has been bailed to a date in late February 2026 while we continue our inquiries.”