Manchester City and England forward Raheem Sterling has defended the new tattoo of a gun on his right leg after receiving criticism in some quarters.
The 23-year-old took to Instagram to explain that the image of an M16 assault rifle has "a deeper meaning" connected with his father's death, while he also wrote the tattoo is "unfinished."
The Press Association's Simon Peach relayed the full post:
Simon PeachRaheem Sterling has posted on Instagram about his gun tattoo following the publication of a story about it https://t.co/vmdxgAMUOq
Sterling's new tattoo was first noted after it appeared in another of his Instagram posts which showed him training with England:
It prompted a strong reaction, with the image being described as "sick" and calls made for Sterling to be dropped from the Three Lions squad in an article in The Sun (via Neil Henderson of the BBC):
Neil HendersonTHE SUN: Raheem shoots himself in the foot #tomorrowspaperstoday https://t.