Crystal Palace midfielder Cheick Doucoure has reportedly been the alleged victim of blackmail since moving to the Premier League.
Doucoure recently signed for Crystal Palace for a fee of around £18m from RC Lens.
However, it’s been a controversial few days since joining the club, with his agent releasing a statement on Twitter.
The statement reads: “Since the announcement of his transfer from RC Lens to Crystal Palace, Mr. Cheick Oumar Doucoure and his entourage have been victims of blackmail and an attempt to extort money from several individuals acting in concert (a player’s agent and a photographer, supported by a journalist), obviously attracted by the supposed gains from this transaction. These individuals claim, with false evidence, that my client would have a double identity and demand a payment of a sum of money in exchange for their silence,” as relayed by 90min.
As a young 22-year-old, it can’t be easy moving to another country to try and progress your career, and a situation like this arising must make it an extremely difficult time for Doucoure.