The Sun are reporting that Stoke City striker Saido Berahino was arrested outside a London restaurant and bar early today on suspicion of drink-driving.

Police were called to an incident outside VQ, a 24-hour restaurant and bar in Bloomsbury, at 3am and witnessed Berahino racing off.

The newspaper claims he told police he was trying to flee from a gang who had taken his watch and were trying to steal his car.

They say Berahino, who was banned from driving for 12 months in 2015 after a drink-driving offence, was arrested and taken into custody.

The Metropolitan Police issued a statement saying: “On Monday, 18 February, at around 03:00 hours, police were called to a disturbance in Great Russell Street, WC1.

“When officers arrived on scene a car was seen to drive away at speed. The car was stopped by police in Bedford Square and a 25-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of drink-driving.

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“He was taken to a central London police station where he remains in custody.”

Berahino has had disciplinary issues since joining Stoke in a £12m deal in January 2017, but seemed to have been rehabilitated under Gary Rowett. He broke his long scoring drought and was a regular in the Stoke team until Rowett was sacked last month.

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Since then, he has struggled for game time under new boss Nathan Jones , and was not in the matchday squad for Stoke’s 1-1 draw at Ipswich at the weekend.

Nobody was available for comment at Stoke City this evening.