Manchester Cit defender Jason Denayer involved in fist fight on Brussels street

Jason Denayer was filmed kicking a man in the head during a brawl outside a bar in Brussels in the early hours of Sunday morning after he sprung to the defence of his friend.

The Manchester City defender waded in as his friend was being severely beaten, with up to 16 punches landing before Denayer intervened.

The 21-year-old, who spent the season on loan at relegated Sunderland, headed back home to Belgium at the weekend and has now been allowed to go on holiday. He will not be arrested.

A video emerged of Denayer landing one blow on a man restrained on the floor before others stepped in during a fight between 6am and 7am, according to Belgian outlet La Capitale.

Denayer admitted his regret after the incident but claimed he was defending a friend.

'I was on my way to my car when I heard a friend shouting,' he told the Belgian press. 'I saw that my friend was in danger and had to intervene.

'I responded instinctively. My sole purpose was to protect my friend.'

Denayer's agent, Desse de Preter, told HLN: 'His reaction could be perceived as aggressive, but it's clear it was a defensive one. What you don't see on one of the videos is that the person who gets the kick is beating Jason's friend to death. His reaction was purely in panic and to protect his friend. Jason wanted to stop the violence.

'Jason had two days off this weekend, with permission of his club. He decided to go out with his best mates. When they left the club, it all went wrong. Jason was walking towards his car, a bit further down the street, when he suddenly heard a lot of noise. When he turned around, he saw that his friend got caught up in a brawl.

'Jason shouted and called up to stop the fight, but without any effect. Only when he saw his friend was really beaten-up, he decided to react. It's true that he has kicked someone, but it was a defensive reaction.

'As soon as his friend was safe, they left the scene. He ran to his car. His car was half demolished too, but he managed to drive away. He's in shock after what happened. In a second video you can see that he only reacts when he sees that his friend is in trouble.

Denayer is expected to head out on loan again next season, with Turkish giants Galatasaray interested.