Former Premier League striker M’Baye Niang rushed to hospital after horror car crash
Former Premier League striker M’Baye Niang has been rushed to hospital after wrecking his car.
The Senegal international spent the first half of 2017 on loan to Watford from AC Milan.
He made 16 top-flight appearances, scoring in the Hornets’ wins over Burnley and West Brom.
France-born Niang joined Italian Serie A club Empoli last month from Turks Adana Demirspor.
But the 29-year-old was rushed to hospital on Tuesday morning after his Mercedes SUV collided with several parked cars in Empoli, near Florence.
Niang has previously figured in a series of motoring mishaps in Italy and France.
Empoli sporting director Pietro Accardi said: “M’Baye Niang advised us promptly about the accident that took place.
“As a club we know that since the lad’s arrival at Empoli he has usually gone out early each morning, to join a prayer group with others who practise the same faith as him.
“The player then returned home.
“M’Baye is well. He passed all the normal tests from the competent authorities.”
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Niang trained later in the day, and is expected to be fit for Saturday’s relegation six-pointer at Sassuolo.
He landed a motoring ban in Italy aged just 17 for driving without a licence – and pretending to be an older Milan clubmate – in 2012.
The striker crashed his Ferrari into a tree while with Montpellier in 2014, and received a suspended 18-month jail term for an alleged hit-and-run incident that left 11 people injured.
And two years later the accident-prone attacker suffered ankle and shoulder injuries after another car smash.