Oxford United's new signing, Swedish goalkeeper Paul Lundin, was arrested following a fight on the dance floor of a restaurant in his home town, Vaxjo.

The 6ft 3in keeper, who joined United yesterday on an 18-month contract, is alleged to have hit a 24-year-old man and a female security guard who intervened.

The incident happened, it is claimed, following an argument between Lundin and the man and his fiance at a restaurant in the town in central Sweden, where Lundin played for nearly ten years for the premier division club Osters.

Police arrested Lundin on suspicion of assault and questioned him for several hours. Officers say they will want to speak to Lundin again about the incident. Lundin, formerly the Swedish number two goalkeeper, joined United on a week's trial last month and greatly impressed in two reserve team games.

He returned to Sweden last week to collect some belongings before returning to Oxford. Yesterday he signed for United, struggling near the bottom of the first division, to provide them with vital goalkeeping cover.

Lundin was unavailable for comment but United's assistant manager Mark Harrison said: "Paul has brushed it aside. The lad has only just come over and when this happened he wasn't even an Oxford United player.

"He has told us what he says happened and says the Swedish press are just trying to blow it up.

"We don't know the full implications but Paul doesn't believe he will have to return to Sweden because of it."

Story date: Wednesday 03 March

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