This summer, fans of England's national team plan to stay at the world's largest brothel Pasha in Cologne during Euro 2024 but they've been warned that spies live on one floor of the massive sex club.
Supporters of the Southgate team, seeking accommodation during the tournament in Germany, have booked 120 rooms at the brothel. The 12-story, 9,000-square-meter sex club boasts around 120 sex workers and accommodates up to 1,000 clients daily.
But now reports claim that a Chinese woman owns the building in Cologne and spies live on the ninth floor. This has raised concerns that English national team fans might find themselves in compromising situations, being approached by secret agents.
The German newspaper Bild saw messages indicating that lawyers being investigated for helping rich Chinese clients get citizenship were linked to the 46-year-old brothel owner Jin Hu. She bought a sex club for £10 million in 2021.
Stefan Bizanz, a German security expert, revealed that Chinese spies were operating in his country. He said: "A British fan is more likely to be a victim than an ordinary citizen who knows the area."
Gareth Southgate's side takes on Slovenia in Cologne on Tuesday, June 25. Soccer fans booked rooms at the brothel after realizing it was much cheaper to stay overnight than a hotel or B&B in the west.
The establishment itself laughed off claims that it was a breeding ground for Chinese undercover operatives, offering a "discount for spies". A spokesman said: "England fans always have a good time with us and our waiters are always grateful. We can't wait for the England fans to visit us in Cologne."
