A Premier League footballer has been charged with raping a schoolgirl in France after allegedly lying to police about having sex with the 15-year-old because "he did not want to upset his girlfriend".

The 23-year-old, who cannot be named for legal reasons, is currently on bail awaiting trial along with his cousin, who is now 25, over the alleged attack in the southern city of Nimes, a court heard.

Both men, who could face jail terms of up to 15 years, deny charges of raping the unidentified victim, who was found "in tears and deep shock" by school friends after the attack in July 2012, according to legal sources.

There are no immediate restrictions on his playing career, although he is constant touch with detectives and lawyers in France.

She was 15 at the time – the minimum of age of consent in France – and claims she was forced into sex by her assailants, who were then 17 and 19.

Neither is French, but they were on holiday together at a campsite in Aigues-Mortes, which is 30 miles south of Nimes, and close to the Mediterranean coast.

At first the footballer denied having sex with the girl. When evidence was produced by police investigators, he changed his story saying: "I didn’t want to upset my girlfriend."