Former Manchester United youth player in court accused of raping woman in 2019

Former Manchester United youth player, John Cofie, appeared in court on Monday accused of rape.

The 30-year-old denied the charge at Manchester Minshull Street crown court.

Cofie along with co-defendant Nathan Stuart is accused of raping a woman in Trafford, Greater Manchester, back in 2019, as per the Daily Mail.

He became the youngest ever £1 million footballer when Sir Alex Ferguson signed him from Burnley in 2007 as a youth player, aged 14.

Cofie was a substitute in the 2011 FA Youth Cup final win over Sheffield United, in a side that consisted of Paul Pogba, Jesse Lingard and Ravel Morrison.

In 2013, Cofie was released by United without making a senior appearance before enduring spells at Barnsley, Crawley Town and Wrexham. He currently works as a football coach at a Lancashire school after retiring from football at just 27.

The trial at Manchester Minshull Street crown court is ongoing, so more updates are expected to follow.