Tottenham defender Emerson Royal found himself in the middle of a gunfight at home in Brazil on Friday morning.

O Liberal reports the 23-year-old had just left a nightclub in his home city of Sao Paulo at around 3am and was taking photos with an off-duty police officer when an individual pointed a gun at him while demanding his belongings.

It is claimed that the officer drew his gun and opened fire at the thief, with Royal escaping unharmed.

Twenty nine shots were reportedly fired at the assailant, one of which hit him in the back and meant he had to be taken to a nearby hospital. According to UOL, the attacker underwent surgery on Friday morning to remove the bullet.

However, Royal was able to travel to the local police station with his father and manager to file a report.

Royal had been out partying with his family and friends at New Trips nightclub, which is located on Paulista Avenue - one of the longest roads which runs through the middle of Sao Paulo.

"I was celebrating and on the way out, this whole affair happened, which was very bad," the player's father told Globo Esporte. "A horror scene indeed. I don't wish that on anyone.

"He [the policeman] went, as usual, with Royal to the car and when he realized there was a robbery and the criminal was pointing the gun at Emerson, at the time the criminal got distracted, the policeman started to exchange shots with him.

"There were around five or six people with him. Each one went to a side running, dodging, because they didn't know where the shots were coming from."