A warrant has been granted for the arrest of Chelsea youngster Islam Feruz after he failed to appear at a Glasgow court to face trial for driving offences on Wednesday.
Feruz was stopped by police in the Gorbals area of Glasgow and subsequently charged with driving an £80,000 Porsche while banned on Sept. 9, 2015, shortly after joining Hibernian on a season-long loan from Stamford Bridge.
The trial, which was also set to hear allegations that Feruz attempted to pervert the course of justice by supplying police with the false name Saeed Cabadalla, was due to begin at Glasgow Justice of the Peace Court on Wednesday. Feruz also faces a final charge of driving without insurance.
But Feruz's lawyer lodged a motion to adjourn the trial, with the court informed that the 20-year-old is currently training in Tanzania.
The motion was refused and Sheriff Frances McCartney instead granted a warrant for his arrest.
Somali-born Feruz was regarded as the brightest young talent in Scottish football when he decided to leave Celtic's youth academy for Chelsea as a 16-year-old in September 2011, and he has represented his adopted country at every youth level between under-16 and U21.
But the 20-year-old striker's development has stalled due to a series of disappointing loan spells with OFI Crete, Blackpool and Hibernian over the past two years, and he is yet to make his senior debut for Chelsea.