Arsenal duo Mesut Ozil and Sead Kolasinac have been placed under 24-hour guard, amid concerns from police that the players are caught in the middle of a London gang war.
The situation stems from an attempted car-jacking outside of the former's home last month, with Kolasinac able to see off the attackers before police got involved.
Further threats were made to the pair, however, leading to the club leaving both out of their opening Premier League match with Newcastle on Sunday due to security concerns.
So this is how it all started then, looks like they blindsided them while Kolasinac was leaning into the car talking to Ozil. How on earth Kolasinac has managed to turn this situation into those two legging it off bricking themselves I will never know. Incredible. pic.twitter.com/Y41YS2bjTe
— Charles Watts (@charles_watts) July 26, 2019
Two arrests were made after another incident on Sunday, and the Sun say that while investigations are ongoing, both men have been placed under 24-hour guard by police to prevent further attacks.
The extra security concerns come as it is believed the situation has escalated into a gangland feud, with a rival Eastern European gang reported to have warned the assailants that the Arsenal stars are 'off-limits'.
This has led to further threats to both Ozil and Kolasinac, and while the aim of the initial robbery was to obtain the players' watches, they have now been told that those responsible intend to 'take everything' from the duo.
There have been several incidents in recent days involving Ozil and Kolasinac in the area near their homes. Both players are unharmed and safe.
— James Benge (@jamesbenge) August 9, 2019
It is not yet known if the arrests made will ease concerns, but for the time being it seems authorities are erring on the side of caution to preserve their safety.
Source : 90min