LONDON, Oct 19: Manchester United footballer Cristiano Ronaldo has been arrested on suspicion of rape, Press Association reported on Wednesday. The 20-year-old Portuguese international went voluntarily to a police station in London to speak to police investigating an allegation made by a woman.

She claims she was seriously sexually assaulted in a penthouse suite at the Sanderson Hotel in central London on Oct 2.

The star is expected to emphatically deny any wrongdoing.

A spokesman for Manchester United said the club was not releasing a statement about Ronaldo’s arrest. Director of communications Phil Townsend said: “We’re not commenting at the moment.”

Scotland Yard released a statement saying two men attended an appointment at a police station “in connection with an investigation following allegations of serious sexual assault at a central London hotel on Sunday October 2”.

The police said the first man, in his 20s, was arrested on suspicion of rape and was being interviewed in custody at an unnamed police station.

The second man, in his 30s, was not arrested.

Ronaldo appeared as a substitute in United’s 3-2 English Premiership victory away to west London side Fulham on Oct 1.—AFP