Premier League footballer Granit Xhaka interviewed by police after claims Arsenal star racially abused member of staff at Heathrow Airport 

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Arsenal star Granit Xhaka has been interviewed by police after being accused of racially abusing a female member of staff at Heathrow Airport, calling her a 'f****** white b****'.

The 24-year-old midfielder, who earns £80,000 a week, is said to have launched a foul-mouthed tirade at a British Airways worker when his friend was refused entry on to a flight.

The incident on Monday evening came just a day after the Swiss star was sent off for ill-discipline on the pitch in his team's victory over Burnley.

Granit Xhaka spoke to police after claims he racially abused a member of staff at Heathrow

The incident comes just 24 hours after he was sent off for his ill-discipline on the pitch

Xhaka's latest post on Instagram shows him standing alongside Leonard Lekaj in London

Xhaka went to the airport to see off German sixth division footballer Leonard Lekaj, who was refused entry onto a flight to Germany after arriving late for boarding at Heathrow Terminal Five.

When Lekaj, who is the brother of Xhaka's fiancée Leonita Lekaj, was turned away by check-in staff, Xhaka allegedly unleashed a torrent of abuse calling one woman a 'f****** white b****' in German, at which point airport security and police were called.

Xhaka was then taken to a west London police station for questioning by officers.

But he denies using the offensive language or saying anything directly to the member of staff.

Arsenal refused to comment, saying it was a private and police matter.

The incident is said to have happened at Heathrow when his friend was refused entry to a flight

Xhaka posted this picture to social media of him alongside his fiancee Leonita and Mr Lekaj

But yesterday manager Arsene Wenger was said to be preparing to read him 'the riot act', because even before the Heathrow incident the hothead was in trouble over his on-pitch disciplinary issues.

Xhaka is of Kosovo-Albanian descent but he plays for the Switzerland national team because his parents moved to Switzerland shortly before he was born. The midfielder, who moved to Arsenal from German club Borussia Monchengladbach last summer for more than £30million, was sent off for a dangerous tackle on Burnley's Steven Defour on Sunday, during his team's narrow 2-1 win.

It was the second time he had been dismissed in Arsenal colours, following his red card for a deliberate trip on Swansea City's Modou Barrow last October. He now faces a four-match suspension.

Xhaka was also sent off during Switzerland's 2-0 win over Portugal last September.

At the weekend, Wenger took the unusual step of criticising the player in public saying: 'He has to control his game and not punish the team with his lack of control and his tackling.

Xhaka (right) poses with his fiancee Leonita, who is the sister of footballer Leonard Lekaj

Leonard and Leonita pose for a picture at the Arsenal game in which Xhaka was sent off

'We don't encourage our midfielders to go down in tackles.

'We want them to stand up and not make these kind of fouls.'

Yesterday a Metropolitan Police spokesman said: 'Police were called at 7.29pm on Monday, January 23, following an allegation that a member of staff had been racially abused at Heathrow Airport, Terminal Five.'

The spokesman added: 'The allegation was made by a third party.

'Officers attended and spoke with a man in his 20s. He was not arrested.

'He voluntarily attended a west London police station where he was interviewed under caution.

'Enquires continue.' 

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