Ashley Cole was punched by a Playboy model on Tuesday morning (30.06.15).

The A.S. Roma footballer was reportedly involved in the tussle with Carla Howe outside a London nightclub in the early hours of the morning, having apparently bedded her twin sister Melissa following his divorce from Cheryl Fernandez-Versini in 2010.

Carla told the Daily Star newspaper: ''He was trying to get up in my face, and I didn't know what was going on.

''I was scared, so I punched him. I was wearing a ring and hit him three times in the jaw. Afterwards he was shouting 'She's busted my lip'.''

Following the attack, the model took to Twitter to boast about her accomplishment in a post which he has since deleted.

She wrote: ''Happy I just punched up @TheRealAC3 long awaited. (sic)''

Although she has now removed the post, she has since retweeted a comment from a fan of the 34-year-old sportman's former club, Arsenal, which he left in 2006 to pursue a higher paid position at rivals Chelsea.

The post read: ''Think @carlahowe may have become Arsenal fans' new favourite model after this run in with Cashley. (sic)''

Meanwhile, Ashley has reportedly been single since his split from 'The Only Way is Essex' star Pascal Craymer last year, who said things ''fizzled out'' between the pair just a few months after they started dating.