England international Aaron Lennon was detained under the Mental Health Act after concerns for his welfare.
The 30-year-old, who has not played for Everton since February 11, was negotiated with by police officers for 20 minutes on Sunday afternoon.
Officers were called to a location in Salford, Greater Manchester, following concerns over his state of mind. Tracksuited Lennon was at the side of a busy thoroughfare close to the M602 motorway and officers believed he was in a precarious situation.
The player, capped 21 times by England, was a £4million signing for Everton from Tottenham in 2015.