Revealed: Premier League footballers hiring MMA fighters in bid to combat burglary after Jack Grealish & Raheem Sterling targeted

The affluent area in north-west England has been attracting star footballers from some of the country’s biggest clubs for many years. Players from the likes of Manchester United, Manchester City, Liverpool and Everton have made Cheshire their home while they were contracted to the clubs, but following a number of crimes committed in the area, it is starting to lose its reputation as a haven for the wealthy and famous.

In December 2023, Jack Grealish was the victim of a £1 million burglary in which criminals stole jewellery. The incident, which came months after the winger won the treble with City, left Grealish feeling "absolutely distraught".

Posting on Instagram, Grealish said: "This has been a traumatic experience for all of us, I am just so grateful that nobody was hurt. I have had so many amazing experiences and achievements over the last 12 months, but to be honest the best year of my life in football now doesn’t feel like something I can celebrate. The people that commit these terrible crimes have no idea of the damage they cause to people’s lives."

Former City star Raheem Sterling has also been the target of robberies and Thomas Mee was arrested for a series of thefts in the area. When he was finally arrested in 2020, Mee admitted to conspiracy to burgle a number of homes in the Golden Triangle.

With crime on the rise in the area, players are seeking new ways to defend their property from crime groups seeking to plunder precious items. The Daily Mail revealed that some players are even hiring professional fighters to strengthen their security.

An anonymous security consultant told the newspaper that, "one massive club with several players in the Cheshire area has boosted security."

They continued to explain: "[The players] have now drafted in a couple of former MMA fighters to bodyguard the players and their families.

"One of the lads does the close protection work while the other is a house sitter. That means he stay in the house when the player is away with the club."

The source said that the gangs often committed the crimes when the players are travelling for fixtures in European competition. The MMA fighters have been hired to look after players and their families, both in their homes and out.

"They look after the players and their families when they are out on the street when things can happen. If a young player wants to go to nightclub, they will take them and make sure nothing happens," the consultant added.

A robbery can have a huge impact on a player’s wellbeing and even their performance levels. Huge swathes of footballers have been victims of attacks and it has even caused some to seek new opportunities away from the Premier League.

Angel Di Maria was left traumatised by a burglary when he was a player at Manchester United. The experience contributed to a difficult settling period in England and led to him quickly seeking an exit from Old Trafford.

The spate of crime is not limited to the Golden Triangle either. In London in 2019, Sead Kolasinac and Mesut Ozil had their car stopped and attacked by armed men when they were playing for Arsenal. In the Northeast, Alexander Isak had his home robbed in April last year when he was playing for Newcastle.

As Premier League players continue to be targeted, it is likely clubs will take yet more steps to ensure the protection of their staff. They may also look to tighten security at their own facilities after Chelsea had £30,000 worth of camera equipment taken from their training facility.