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Police hold Tiemoue Bakayoko at gunpoint in case of mistaken identity

Published 14:23 18 Jul 2022 BST

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Bakayoko was let go by officers when they realised he was not a suspect.

Footage posted on Twitter shows the moment Tiemoue Bakayoko was stopped and held at gunpoint by police in Italy, in an incident which proved to be a case of mistaken identity. Bakayoko is believed to be on the cusp of joining Marseille this week, five years after signing for Chelsea from Monaco. He spent last season on loan at AC Milan, helping them to the Serie A title.

The 27-year-old was reportedly pulled over by police on July 3 while driving through central Milan. Ordered to get out of his vehicle, he was then pushed against a police car and searched. At least two officers can be seen holding guns in footage of the incident shared on social media by Italian journalist Tancredi Palmeri. The officer seen searching Bakayoko is later informed by a colleague that it is not the suspect but, in actual fact, a Milan player. Clearly surprised, the officer immediately stops his search, allowing Bakayoko, who remains calm throughout the footage, to return to his car. https://twitter.com/tancredipalmeri/status/1548928848439508992 Another tweet from Palmeri contained a statement from police, who explained Bakayoko was searched following a shooting which had taken place earlier in the day. https://twitter.com/tancredipalmeri/status/1548958005240135681 Bakayoko was signed by Chelsea after impressing for Monaco, where he played in the same side as Kylian Mbappe and Fabinho. After a difficult debut season at Stamford Bridge, he was loaned to Milan for the 2018/19 season. He returned to Monaco on another loan deal the following year, then Napoli the season after that. He returned for a second loan spell in Milan last summer, making 14 appearances for the Rossoneri as they won their first Scudetto in 11 years.