Ex-Wolves and Nottingham Forest player Rafa Mir, now in La Liga, has arrested over alleged sexual assault after missing training.
The 27 year old was held on Monday night and failed to turn up for training on Tuesday morning with La Liga side Valencia, where he is currently on loan from Sevilla.
The Civil Guard confirmed that a La Liga footballer was arrested, but denied Spanish media reports that a second man was also in custody at present.
Former Premier League striker Rafa Mir arrested on suspicion of sexual assault https://t.co/8Wsk3EDybU pic.twitter.com/Vy7rlMavmx
— The Sun Football ⚽ (@TheSunFootball) September 3, 2024
A spokesman for the force in Valencia said: “We can confirm a LaLiga footballer has been arrested over an alleged sexual assault. No-one else has been arrested at the moment but that may change later.”
The club released a statement: “In relation to the press reports that have appeared regarding the arrest of Valencia CF player Rafa Mir, the Club is aware of said arrest and, in the absence of details about it, for the moment it can only state that it will co-operate in everything that justice may require.”
He added: “The man who has been detained is currently in police custody.”
A source close to the inquiry said: “Under Spanish law police have 72 hours from the time of arrest to hold him in custody before releasing him or handing him over a judge who has the right to question him further before deciding in principle whether to free him on bail or remand him in custody pending an ongoing investigation.
“The arrest took place yesterday evening.”
The Civil Guard hasn’t offered any information about what type of sexual assault had allegedly taken place, and of the women were alleging they had been raped.
Rafa Mir started his football playing at futsal level with CD Javalí Nuevo and later opted for football with clubs like ElPozo Murcia, Ranero CF, and Barcelona.
He joined Valencia’s youth academy, making his senior debut for Valencia B in 2015, and also had a brief stint with the main squad.
Mir played 60 matches and scored 25 goals for Valencia B between 2015 and 2018, before linking up with Wolverhampton Wanderers in 2018 for £1.5million, signing a four-and-a-half-year contract with the club.
He was loaned to several clubs, including Las Palmas, Nottingham Forest, and Huesca, with the latter being particularly successful, scoring 25 goals in 57 appearances.
In 2021, Mir joined Sevilla, sold by Wolves for a fee of £13.7million in 2021, despite only playing four games for the club, all of which came during the 2017/18 season and has since made 105 appearances, scoring 24 goals. Wolves making an impressive profit there.
In July 2024, he returned to Valencia on loan, with his first goal back helped Valencia win 3-2 against Eintracht Frankfurt.
“It means a lot,” he said to Sky Sports in August 2024.
“I was at this club for six years as a kid and I am very happy to be back. It is amazing to be home.”
He recalled of his stint in England: “What weather. Amazing. Raining every day.”
He wasn’t there for long, playing four games for Wolves, twice against Swansea in the FA Cup and came off the bench against Barnsley and Nottingham Forest.
A later loan stint at Forest saw Mir have more game time, but failed to find the net in 13 games and was even described as one of the worst signings in their history.
He went to Huesca and netted 13 goals for their struggling side in the 2020/21 season, placing him among the top 10 scorers in La Liga.
Rafa Mir impressed Sevilla, and hit double figures again in his first season, as well as scoring against Manchester City in the Champions League in his second.
He went out on loan to Valencia after the third season.
Mir has represented Spain at the U21 international level, scoring 5 goals in 10 appearances.
He also played for the Spain U23 team, contributing to their silver medal win at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.
HIS CAREER:
Youth career
2004–2006 – Javalí Nuevo
2006–2007 – ElPozo Murcia
2007–2009 – Ranero
2009–2011 – Barcelona
2011–2012 – Murcia
2012–2015 – Valencia
Senior
2015–2018 – Valencia B – 60 games (25 goals)
2015–2018 – Valencia – 6 games (0 goals)
2018–2021 – Wolverhampton Wanderers – 4 games (0 goals)
2018–2019 → Las Palmas (loan) – 30 games (7 goals)
2019–2020 → Nottingham Forest (loan) – 13 games (0 goals)
2020–2021 → Huesca (loan) – 57 games (25 goals)
2021– Sevilla – 105 games (24 goals)
2024– → Valencia (loan) – 2 games (0 goals)
International
2018–2019 – Spain U21 – 10 games (5 goals)
2021 – Spain U23 – 7 games (3 goals)
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