Premier League goalkeeper Arijanet Muric has finally spoken out after being dropped from Kosovo's national team for reportedly breaching team regulations.
Muric, who joined newly-promoted Ipswich Town from Burnley in the summer, played in his nation’s 3-0 defeat to Romania in his homeland on Friday.
However, the 25-year-old has now been axed from national team duty – along with team-mates Edon Zhegrova and Florent Muslija – ahead of their game on Monday against Cyrus.
Local reports had suggested that the trio had stayed out late into the evening visiting bars and nightclubs in the capital Pristina.
In a statement, the Kosovan Football Federation said: ‘Arijanet Muic, Edon Zhegrova and Florent Muslija have left the national team gathering due to breaking the regulations of the national team established by the manager and the federation.
‘The FFK executive committee will decide on further measures against the players in question.’
However, Muric has since denied the claim he was sent home for staying out late, brandishing the rumours as ‘not fair at all’.
‘The decision for us was not fair at all and the rumors that are circulating are not true at all,’ the keeper told Kosovan outlet Klan Kosova.
Meanwhile, Lille winger Zhegrova, who was also sent home, refuted the claims and said on Instagram: ‘These are untrue and fact-free news. I will speak on the field soon.’
For Muric, this most recent incident marks the second occasion that he has been sent home by the Kosovan squad.
In 2021, the former Manchester City keeper, on loan at the time to Dutch club Willem II, was sent packing for ‘disciplinary reasons’ after reportedly being involved in a row with a teammate.
In October of the previous year, Muric was in hot water as well after reportedly inviting a women back to the national team’s hotel despite the strict Covid-19 protocols in place at the time.
The Kosovan is back will likely be back in league action for Ipswich next weekend when Kieran McKenna’s side search for their first win away at Brighton.
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