EXCLUSIVE: TORTURED SOL
He rang blonde dozens of times ..then vanished without trace
Stephen Moyes And Sarah Tetteh
BESOTTED Sol Campbell desperately phoned a teenager he fancies dozens of times the night before he vanished during a Premiership match.
The girl did not answer his calls and friends fear the torment over another failed relationship tipped the Arsenal defender over the edge and sent him into hiding. He is said to be prone to depression.
Missing England star Sol met the 18-year-old from Chigwell, Essex, at a London nightclub three months ago and has bombarded her with pleas for a date ever since.
She has repeatedly refused, although the pair have become friends and have spoken virtually every day. Sol has had a string of girlfriends but none has ever lasted.
A source said: "Sol's been besotted with the girl after meeting her at a team-mate's birthday bash.
"He was smitten and loves the fact she cannot be wooed by his fame and fortune. He saw it as a challenge. She did not even know who he was when they met but thought he was charming and nice.
"She told him nothing could happen at the moment and asked if they could just be friends.
"But Sol can be possessive and yet another failed romance seems to have tipped him over the edge. He must need some space."
The girl is said to "regret not being there" for Sol since his disappearance.
Concern was last night growing for the 31-year-old footballer. He walked out of Highbury on Wednesday night after being substituted at half time for his dismal display during Arsenal's 3-2 defeat to West Ham.
When friends called his mobile it failed to divert to the answer machine as normal and went dead. It is understood he has made no contact with his agent and there were rumours he could have left England.
Friends have told how Sol has been deeply distressed at failing to cement a relationship with any of his lovers.
The 31-year-old was stunned when on-off girlfriend Kelly Hoppen, 46, declared she was in love with another man. He has been out with tennis star Martina Hingis, model and music star DJ Sassy and singer Dido.
He was also linked romantically to former Miss Wales Tazmin Proctor.
Sol was rocked by a paternity suit filed by ex-girlfriend Janet Tyler, 34, which led to him being named as a father to son Joseph.
His team-mates told how their colleague has become increasingly isolated in recent months, and almost a "reclusive figure".
But they said to vanish without warning was totally out of character.
Gunners boss Arsene Wenger admitted yesterday: "I am worried because he is down.
"I don't know when Sol will return. I have not spoken to him since Wednesday night and I don't know where he is at the moment.
"I think he just needs a few days to clear his head but I don't know if he will be coming in on Monday. I am not worried. He is in a difficult period but you can only help people if they are in touch."
Sol failed to show up at a function on Thursday evening at which he was due to meet Tony Blair and German football legend Franz Beckenbauer.
Last August Sol, who lives in Hertfordshire, denied reports suggesting he was on the brink of a breakdown. He insisted: "There's nothing wrong with me."
But the £100,000-a-week star has been beset by off-field problems. In 2003 he was devastated when dad Sewell died.
His brother John was jailed for 12 months last June for attacking Spurs fan Mark Golstein, who made gay taunts about the player
