April 27 – English top-flight club Everton say they are “appalled” after images were released of their Italian striker Moise Kean holding a house party in direct defiance of the UK’s Covid-19 lockdown restrictions – the latest flaunting of the rules by a Premier League player.
Reports said the club was set to fine Kean two weeks’ salary, around £160,000, and had “strongly expressed its disappointment to the player”.
Kean filmed himself partying with guests, flouting social distancing rules, apparently into the early hours.
He is the latest Premier League player to flout the rules after Aston Villa’s Jack Grealish and Kyle Walker of Manchester City were forced to apologise for breaching lockdown restrictions, while Tottenham pair Serge Aurier and Moussa Sissoko were filmed training together and four Arsenal players were reprimanded after being spotted breaking government guidelines.
But this is by far the worst case of the regulations being so blatantly ignored.
A strongly-worded club statement read: “Everton Football Club was appalled to learn of an incident in which a first team player ignored Government guidance and club policy in relation to the coronavirus crisis.
“The club has strongly expressed its disappointment to the player and made it clear that such actions are completely unacceptable.
“Everton has regularly stressed the importance of following all the Government guidelines – including rules and advice for inside and outside of the home – through a series of official communications to all staff members, including players.
Kean cost a reported £24 million last summer from Juventus, where he became the club’s youngest debutant in 2016. Yet until the current season was postponed he had been largely disappointing, scoring only once in 26 appearances.
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