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England midfielder Danny Drinkwater was reportedly attacked by six thugs who shouted 'break his legs' after he tried to chat up another footballer's girlfriend.

Drinkwater, on loan at Burnley from Chelsea this season, was enjoying a night out in Manchester last weekend - hours after being an unused substitute in his team's 3-0 loss to Liverpool .

According to The Sun, the Three Lions ace clashed with his fellow professional player at Manchester's Chinawhite club that eventually saw him thrown out by security.

The paper claims that despite being warned on several occasions to calm down, Drinkwater continued to make an approach on the girlfriend of Scunthorpe United defender Kgosi Ntlhe.

(Image: PA)

(Image: XPOSUREPHOTOS.COM)

After being removed by security, Drinkwater was then set upon by a gang of up to six men who attacked him with a blunt object.

The attack on a Drinkwater left him with torn ankle ligaments that could keep him out of action for up to four weeks, it was claimed.

And in pictures seen by Mirror Online, it appears that the midfielder also suffered a black eye, severely swollen forehead and a cut cheek.

A source told The Sun: "At one point he was curled up in a ball on the ground, as they repeatedly jumped up and down on his ankle and shouting, ‘Break his legs’.

(Image: Action Images via Reuters)

“They knew he was a Premier League star and it was his livelihood. There was blood everywhere, and it was all incredibly nasty.

“Danny is absolutely mortified now and realises he can no longer put himself in a position where these incidents happen, regardless of who is at fault."

Drinkwater was last week sidelined by a mystery ankle injury but now it's claimed that knock was sustained in this vicious attack.

(Image: Getty Images Europe)

There is no suggestion that Ntlhe was involved in the attack and police were not called to the incident, which was not reported by Drinkwater.

A spokesman for the player said: “Danny accepts he put himself in a position where he can be criticised. He will take on the chin the criticism that comes his way.

“He knows he cannot allow himself to be targeted, and has to take himself away from these situations.

(Image: Shaun Botterill)

“He will address the concerns of those at the club privately, and honestly.”

In May, the 29-year-old was handed a 20-month driving ban and ordered to complete community service over a drink-driving crash in his £125,000 Range Rover which left two women hurt.

Drinkwater only signed for Burnley during the summer transfer window but has not played in the Premier League for 18 months.