Premier League club of arrested player reportedly knew of rape allegation last fall

It was recently learned that an unidentified 29-year-old English Premier League footballer was arrested Monday on suspicion of rape and then linked with at least two other allegations.

An update on the story was revealed Friday. 

Per Suzanne Wrack and Nick Ames of the Guardian, the Premier League side was made aware of a rape allegation against its player last fall. Additionally, that individual, previously referred to as "a well-known international," continued to play with the club's first team during the 2021-22 season. 

Neither the player nor club has been named for legal reasons, as noted by The Athletic's Luke Brown and other outlets. The Guardian reached out to the club, which declined to comment. 

"On 4 July, an allegation of rape of a woman in her 20s was reported to police," read a statement shared by Scotland Yard earlier this week. "It was reported the alleged rape happened in June 2022. On 4 July, a 29-year-old man was arrested at an address in Barnet on suspicion of rape and taken into custody.

"While in custody, he was further arrested on suspicion of two incidents of rape that were alleged to have been committed in April and June of 2021 against a different woman in her 20s. He has subsequently been released on bail to a date in August. Inquiries into the circumstances are ongoing." 

It's unclear when the player and/or club could be identified.