Harry Winks was reportedly dropped from the Leicester City team for a match after a significant disagreement with coach Ruud van Nistelrooy.
Winks, aged 29, was surprisingly left out of the squad for the Foxes` 2-0 loss against Manchester City on Wednesday.
According to The Telegraph, the exclusion followed a “heated” dispute between Winks and the manager.
Van Nistelrooy is said to have asked Winks to reduce his daily 100-mile commute to the club`s advanced £100 million training center.
The manager wanted the former Tottenham player to stay overnight at the hotel at Seagrave in North Leicestershire once a week. The facility also includes a nine-hole golf course.
However, Winks reportedly refused, citing personal reasons for his daily commute from Hertfordshire since joining for £10 million under Enzo Maresca last season.
England international Winks and his partner Lowri Algar welcomed a daughter in mid-March.
This is the latest issue for Leicester, who are in danger of being relegated back to the Championship shortly after promotion.
Earlier this season, Winks was among Leicester players who were seen partying in Copenhagen with a sign saying “Enzo I miss u” after a loss to former manager Maresca`s Chelsea.
Last month, The Telegraph also reported a toxic atmosphere under Van Nistelrooy at Leicester.
Jannik Vestergaard, who previously had issues with managers Brendan Rodgers and Steve Cooper, allegedly surprised staff by bringing his dog to training because he had no one to care for it at his London home.
Vestergaard, like Winks, is believed to be one of three senior Leicester players commuting over 90 miles to training each day.
There have been other problems, including arguments between players and coaches.
Winks was important for Maresca last season in the Championship, but recently he has had a smaller role, with his last Premier League start being in a 4-0 defeat to Everton on February 1.
Vestergaard has been left out of Van Nistelrooy`s last three matchday squads, for games against Chelsea, Manchester United, and City.
Before excluding Winks for the Manchester City game, Van Nistelrooy stated he is demanding high standards from his team, despite a poor run of 14 losses in 15 games and seven games without scoring.
Van Nistelrooy said, “When I first arrived, I assessed how things were done and then implemented my standards here.”
“Generally, I have tried to raise the standards over the last three months.”
“You must fully utilize these facilities. That`s where the standards come in.”
“It’s an ideal setting to elevate the standards as high as I believe is necessary for a club aiming to be in the Premier League.”
“People need to adapt to this. The immediate effects might not be visible, but it will be beneficial in the long run.”
Leicester City has been contacted for comment.
