Arda Turan Reportedly Assaults Journalist over Turkey Pay Dispute Story

Barcelona playmaker Arda Turan reportedly shouted at a journalist and grabbed him by the throat on a plane while on international duty with Turkey. 

According to reports cited on The Independent, Turan, 30, confronted Milliyet's Bilal Mese ahead of take-off on Monday over an article the journalist had written about pay disputes at UEFA Euro 2016. The player then seemed to confirm the altercation by posting on Instagram: 

"Did I do right yesterday? I don't know!!! Maybe not right, but at least honest, honourable, esteemed behaviour … Did I get an answer? No … [He] filled up the pages for months, but in front of me he had no more than two words."

Turan reportedly shouted, via The Independent: 

"Tell me Bilal Mese, were you there? Were you with us when you wrote about the bonuses issue? Who did I ask for money from? Who did ask I for bonuses from? Talk. Come on. Who made you write those reports?"

He also reportedly called Mese a "son of a b---h" and had to be restrained by his team-mates.

According to reports in Turkey, cited by Football Espana, Turan was removed from the Turkey national squad as a result of the incident:

Following those reports, SPORT later reported Turan has retired from international football.

The former Atletico Madrid man has not enjoyed the best of spells at Barcelona since joining the club in 2015.

Per The Independent, Turan is a target for Arsenal and could leave the Camp Nou this summer.