AN ITV pundit has revealed she's calling in lawyers following a "defamatory" Joey Barton rant.
Eni Aluko, 36, says it comes after Barton's first sexist tirade left her "genuinely scared".
The football star has now revealed she is taking legal action against the former player for what she says are "defamatory" claims against her family.
Barton has repeatedly taken to his keyboard to complain about female players talking about men's football.
Aluko has been a victim of that - with him comparing her and another pundit, Lucy Ward, to "the Fred and Rose West of football", referring to two of Britain's worst serial killers.
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But he recently targeted her, and her family, in another bizarre tirade.
The former Manchester City and Newcastle star wrote on X, formerly known as Twitter, on January 19: "More has come to light about poor, little Eni Aluko. Dad was a Nigerian Senator. Dodgy money.
"Ran to England. Massive house in Wentworth. 3 Rolls Royces. St Mary’s in Ascot private education. Lawyer. Race card player."
Aluko has now said she's taking legal action against Barton, while slamming his rant as "untrue and inaccurate".
She today wrote on Instagram: "Joey Barton recently published a post on X which made untrue, inaccurate and defamatory allegations about me and my family.
"It is particularly harmful that Mr Barton involved my family in that post, suggesting my late father, a distinguished Nigerian senator, was in receipt of 'dodgy money' and that I had benefitted from his corruption which paid for my lavish lifestyle including Rolls Royce cards and a private education.
"Mr Barton also publicly stated he knew where my family lived.
"These, and the other allegations he made in the post, are all entirely untrue and have caused me extreme harm and distress.
"These were made just days after I stated publicly that I was genuinely scared, following Mr Barton's repeated online posts targeting me using extreme violent comparisons in previous weeks.
"I have instructed Judith Thompson at Samuel's Solicitors, as well as Sara Mansoori KC and Ifeanyi Odogwu at Matrix Chambers to send a letter before action to Mr Barton setting out the true position and requesting that the post on X be taken down.
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"Instead of taking down his post, Mr Barton published a post today mischaracterising my legal complaint with a photograph of my letter of claim, causing further abuse of me, and my legal advisers.
"While he has now removed that post, it has been necessary to make this statement to set out the correct position."
I’ve genuinely been scared this week. I didn’t leave my house until Friday and I’m now abroad.
Eni Aluko
Prior to Aluko taking to social media, Barton claimed he was being "for saying she’s not very good at her job" while sharing a letter he was said to have received from her lawyers.
However, the post has now been deleted.
The Sun has approached the law firm for comment.
Earlier this month, on January 5, Barton went on a sexist rant online, saying: "How is she even talking about Men's football. She can't even kick a ball properly.
"Your coverage of the game EFC last night, took it to a new low.
"Eni Aluko and Lucy Ward, the Fred and Rose West of football commentary."
Over two decades, Fred and Rose West abducted, tortured, raped and murdered numerous young women.
Celebrities like Piers Morgan, Laura Woods and Bianca Westwood were quick to call out the comments on social media.
These, and the other allegations he made in the post, are all entirely untrue and have caused me extreme harm and distress.
Eni Aluko
ITV Sport also addressed Barton, saying in a statement: "For Joey Barton, an ex-professional player with a significant social media presence, to target two of our pundits, Eni Aluko and Lucy Ward, with such vindictive remarks based on gender and to involve the names of serial killers in doing so is clearly contemptible and shameful on his part.
"Football is for everyone."
On January 19, Aluko posted a 15-minute-long video saying she would take legal action against Barton.
She claimed she had fled the UK out of fears for her safety after getting a slew of online abuse.
Aluko said: “Now, I’m open and honest and I’m human and I’m more than happy to admit that I’ve been scared this week.
“I’ve genuinely been scared this week. I didn’t leave my house until Friday and I’m now abroad.
“It’s really important to say that online abuse has a direct impact on your safety and how you feel and how safe you feel in real life."
The same day Barton reposted the video saying: "Cry me a fu**ing river.
"I was waiting for the victim card to be played."
He went on to call her "dreadful as a pundit", "tone deaf" and said she knew "next to nothing about men's football".
