RYAN GIGGS will step aside for Wales’ next three games after being arrested on suspicion of assaulting his girlfriend.
It comes after the Manchester United legend was questioned and then bailed, pending inquiries by police, on suspicion of actual bodily harm and assault following an alleged bust-up with partner Kate Greville.
Giggs, 46, denies the allegations made against him.
A statement released on behalf of Giggs said: “He is cooperating with the police and will continue to assist them with their ongoing investigation.”
Wales are due to play the USA in a friendly in Swansea next Thursday.
They then have two Nations League matches, both in Cardiff, against Ireland and Finland.
Giggs will not take charge of the side for those fixtures.
A statement from the Welsh FA read: “The Football Association of Wales and Ryan Giggs have mutually agreed that he will not be involved in the upcoming international camp.
“Our agreed immediate priority is preparing the team for the upcoming international matches.
“Robert Page, with Ryan’s support, will take charge for the next three matches against the USA, Republic of Ireland and Finland supported by Albert Stuivenberg.
“The Cymru squad for these upcoming matches will be announced on Thursday 5th November.
“The FAW will not be making any further comment at this current time.”
Page, who was in charge of the Wales Under-21s from 2017 to 2019, is part of Giggs’ coaching staff.
Prior to that the 41-year-old managed Port Vale and Northampton Town following a playing career that included 41 caps for the national team.
Stuivenberg worked alongside Giggs at Manchester United and now splits his time between Wales and coaching at Arsenal with Mikel Arteta.
‘A DISTURBANCE’
Cops were called to the Wales manager’s £1.7million home in Worsley just after 10pm on Sunday amid reports of “a disturbance”.
Giggs emerged from Pendleton police station yesterday afternoon after hours of questioning, and was whisked away in a black Mercedes.
Sources said he had been living in the house which he bought for his mum Lynne on the same street as his £3.5million pad, which is up for sale.
Giggs had been at Hotel Football, in Manchester, which he co-owns, earlier in the day to watch Manchester United’s 1-0 defeat against Arsenal.
He is then believed to have gone to the Stock Exchange Hotel, which he also co-owns with former teammate Gary Neville, in the city centre.
He has been dating Kate on and off since 2017.
They met when she started doing the PR for Hotel Football in 2013 after moving from Dubai.
Giggs went public with the relationship when he was pictured with her holidaying in Italy in August 2018.
It was eight months after his divorce from wife Stacey, whom he had been cheating on for eight years with brother Rhodri’s wife Natasha.
EUROS APPROACHING
After the upcoming international break, Wales are not due to meet up again until late March.
The Dragons will also be competing in the postponed Euro 2020 tournament.
They are grouped with Switzerland, Turkey and Italy for the showpiece event, with their first game on June 12.
The 13-time Premier League winner was due to announce his squad for Wales’ upcoming games today.
However, a scheduled press conference – over Zoom due to coronavirus restrictions – was cancelled in the wake of Giggs’ arrest.
Two-time Champions League winner Giggs became Wales manager in January 2018 on a four-year contract.
A Greater Manchester Police spokesman said: “Police were called at 10.05pm on Sunday to reports of a disturbance.
“A woman in her 30s sustained minor injuries but did not require any treatment.
“A 46-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of section 47 assault and section 39 common assault.”
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