Sheffield United suspend Baxter over failed drugs test

Sheffield United playmaker Jose Baxter has been suspended by the club after failing a drugs test.

The League One side confirmed on Saturday that Baxter had failed an out-of-competition screening, with United now awaiting the outcome of further investigations into the matter.

A club statement read: "The player has informed the club that he engaged in no wrongdoing involving any banned substance.

"Established policy in these circumstances requires that the club temporarily suspend the player pending further findings. 

"The club has taken this step without prejudice to the player's claim of no wrongdoing."

The Professional Footballer's Association (PFA) are also providing support to Baxter.

A former Everton prodigy, once considered as having the potential to follow in fellow Goodison Park graduate Wayne Rooney's footsteps, Baxter's career has failed to live up to that initial hype.

He was arrested in 2009 when a car he was travelling in was found to have had cannabis and forged money in it, although he was later released without charge.

His suspension comes just a day after Jake Livermore was removed from duty by Hull City and the Football Association (FA) having failed a doping test, allegedly due to the presence of cocaine in his bloodstream.