Turkey midfielder Arda Turan has reportedly been questioned by police over an alleged nightclub assault on Turkish pop star Berkay, with the singer later admitted to hospital for treatment on a broken nose.
It had been claimed that an altercation was the result of alleged flirtatious comments made by Turan to Berkay’s wife.
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Turan denied the details on social media. He admitted he was involved in an ‘argument’, although he was clear to state that it was not about ‘honour or purity as reported’.
A report from Turkish outlet Hurriyet now explains that Turan, who is on loan at Istanbul Basaksehir from Barcelona until 2020, was questioned by Besiktas County Police Department and gave a statement. He was apparently released after three hours.
It is said that Turan told police that the argument had not been because of any harassment on his part, although it appears there was a physical altercation as Hurriyet writes, ‘to the police, Arda said that he had been arguing with him and that he had beaten him’.
Hurriyet publishes the following quotes from the statement the player is said to have given: “I went to the entertainment venue. Burak Yilmaz (Trabzonspor & Turkey striker) was there. Sitting together, Berkay came to us. I do not know Berkay’s wife. I did not have any conversation with him. He went after me and said I touched his arm. That’s not true.”
31-year-old Turan joined Barcelona from Atletico Madrid for €34m in 2015, but joined Istanbul Başakşehir on a two-and-a-half season loan deal in January of 2018. He is a two-time La Liga winner and has 100 caps for Turkey.