Update: David De Gea denies allegations of rape
Spain have sent home Manchester United’s David De Gea after allegations of rape emerged.
Update (1:03 PM EST): De Gea gave a press conference this afternoon where he asserted that the accusations against him were false and that he will not be sent home or leaving the team voluntarily.
Spain may have won consecutive European Championships, but they are off to a terrible start in 2016. Even though Spain don’t kickoff the tournament until Monday, they have already had to send home one of their stars. After allegations of rape emerged in the Spanish press, Manchester United goalkeeper David De Gea was sent back home to Spain from France.
The 25-year-old was expected to start for Vicente del Basque’s side on Monday against Czech Republic, but will be playing no part in the competition at all. Spain is expected to hold a press conference on Friday, with De Gea expected to be in attendance.
The goalkeeper was named by a protected witness in court documents, claiming he contracted a prostitute against her will. According to Spanish outlet El Diario, Iker Muniain and another unnamed player are also involved in the scandal.
The Spaniard joined Manchester United in the summer of 2011 from Atletico Madrid for a fee of £17.8 million. At the time, it was a British record for the highest transfer fee paid for a goalkeeper. He continues to be one of the most sought after keepers on the planet, with the likes of Real Madrid consistently showing interest in the youngster.
That may quickly change though, depending how the whole case plays out. Despite whether the allegations are true or not, it is certainly not something the Spanish squad wanted to deal with just days before their opening match in France.
Read more at our FanSided soccer content hub.