Manchester City star Mario Balotelli was to be the victim of an alleged blackmail plot.

The Mail on Sunday says a man has been arrested on suspicion of attempting to blackmail Manchester City Football Club over photos said to show star player Balotelli swigging champagne.

Multi-millionaire Balotelli, 21, is alleged to have been photographed at a nightclub just hours after his team dramatically lost to Swansea last month.

The pictures are believed to have been taken at the Panacea nightclub in Alderley Edge, Cheshire, on the night of March 11.

Manchester City executives refused to co-operate with the alleged demands. They instead contacted police, who arrested Daniel Brown, 25, over the incident.

A source close to Manchester City said last night: "When the club was contacted with the photos of Balotelli and the demands were made, there was actually a huge sigh of relief because they expected the pictures to be far worse.

"So much has happened with Mario that we could expect anything. The photos show him with a bottle of champagne in a club."