The 30-year-old French midfielder was hospitalised for injuries to his eye, nose and lip after an altercation at the club's training ground on Tuesday.

Greater Manchester Police (GMP) have confirmed the incident has been reported to them.

Barton - no stranger to violent incidents with teammates including one especially unsavoury one where he put a light cigar into the eye of a youth team player - has been suspended by the club and it is widely believed that he will be sold in the summer.

"GMP has received a report from a 30-year-old man that he was assaulted," said a GMP spokeswoman.

"Inquiries are ongoing."

Such a move could have serious consequences for the 24-year-old midfielder, who has attracted unwanted publicity on a regular basis down the years and is presently thought to be out of the country.

Among the most unsavoury incidents were Barton stubbing a cigar out in the eye of teammate Jamie Tandy during a players' Christmas party - for which he was fined six weeks wages - and also attacking a schoolboy Everton fan in a Thailand bar which also saw him attack close friend and teammate Richard Dunne, when the Irishman tried to intervene and for which he was fined two months wages.

Dabo was quoted in The Times newspaper on Thursday as saying he was upset by the cowardice shown by Barton, who has one England cap, having played against Spain in February.

"The fact that I look like the Elephant Man and will not be able to play agains this season is bad enough but what I find most shocking is that he (Barton) struck me first from behind and then repeatedly when I was down on the ground," Dabo said.