Ex-footballer Joey Barton has been charged with making malicious communications.

The former Manchester City, Burnley and Rangers player is due to appear in court later this month.

On his X account, Mr Barton, 41, said he had been charged over tweets relating to broadcaster and multiple league title winner Eniola Aluko.

Cheshire Police said the charges concerned messages sent between 1 and 18 January.

In a statement, a force spokesman said: “A man from Widnes has been summoned to court to face charges of malicious communications.

“Following an investigation by Cheshire Police, the Crown Prosecution Service has since authorised the charges for Joseph Barton.”

The spokesman said Mr Barton would be appearing at Warrington Magistrates’ Court on 30 July.

Ms Aluko is a 37-year-old former professional footballer who played for Chelsea and England, scoring 33 international goals in 102 games before retiring in 2020 and establishing a broadcasting career.

She has commentated on matches – including men’s Premier League games – for networks in the UK and overseas.

Mr Barton’s playing full professional career began in 2002 at Manchester City, and ended at Burnley in 2017. He also played for Newcastle United and Queens Park Rangers, and had a spell on loan at Marseille.

The former midfielder, originally from Huyton, Merseyside, went on to manage Fleetwood Town in 2018 before taking over at Bristol Rovers in 2023.

He left the club in 2023.