Southampton captain Adam Lallana has frustrated his neighbours by building a sports area in the back garden of his home on the border of Hampshire and Dorset.

The 26-year-old, who is currently with the England squad in Miami preparing for next week's World Cup in Brazil, is believed to have submitted a planning application for a children's wooden play area in December.

According to the Daily Echo, the midfielder also stated in the application plans to install a "small Astro Turf pitch", but it appears that a concrete surface containing basketball hoop has been constructed.

Lallana's neighbour Brian Riley told the newspaper: "The enforcement officer told us it was more in-keeping with a council play park than a garden in a Special Character Area.

"He was given 28 days to submit a planning application but that deadline has gone, he's done nothing and the council haven't taken any further action."

Intelligent Land planning consultant Mike Hirsh, who is acting on behalf of Lallana, has insisted that the "knockabout pitch" does not need planning permission, but has revealed that the footballer has apologised to his neighbour.

"My client went around to the neighbour the day after the enforcement officer's unexpected visit to his home, and apologised for causing the problem and has instructed a landscape architect to prepare a scheme to mitigate the visual impact of the hoop and the associated structure," said Hirsh.

Meanwhile, Lallana has been linked with a move to Liverpool this summer.