Fulham player Issa Diop arrested in France ‘after making death threats to his ex-partner’
FULHAM star Issa Diop has been arrested in France after he was accused of making “repeated death threats” to his ex-partner.
The 26-year-old centre-back was arrested at the Pullman Hotel in his home city of Toulouse on Sunday.
The Fulham defender was detained in the Jean-Jaures area following allegations of “repeated death threats” to his former partner, 29, over “divorce payments.”
An official source told the local La Depeche newspaper: “He is suspected of having repeatedly threatened his partner, aged 29, whom he is separating from.
“Their divorce, which began months ago, is taking place in a climate of conflict.”
The alleged victim is said to have claimed “large sums of money that Issa Diop would not be ready to pay her”.
La Depeche reported that “the situation is so tense” that Diop “would have mentioned the possibility of getting rid of her definitively.”
The newspaper noted that Diop “has already acknowledged some of the facts, stating that his words and threats were not serious.”
The woman filed a complaint last week, but investigators had to wait until the weekend to arrest Diop, when he arrived from the UK.
His current legal status – “under arrest” – allows police to hold him for 24-hours, but extensions can be granted by a judge.
A local police spokesman said Diop, who used to play for Toulouse and West Ham, was in custody at the city’s Central Police Commiserate.
Diop signed a five-year contract with Fulham last August.
The £15m move from West Ham to Fulham was completed after negotiations that lasted a month.
A Fulham spokesperson said in a statement: “We are aware of reports emanating from France this morning regarding one of our players, Issa Diop.
“We are currently liaising with the player’s representatives to establish the facts.”