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21st Apr 2017

Paul Merson breaks down during emotional tribute to Ugo Ehiogu

Merson and Ehiogu played together at Aston Villa

Robert Redmond

Paul Merson has paid an emotional tribute to Ugo Ehigou.

Ehiogu suffered cardiac arrest on Thursday evening. The Tottenham Hotspur under-23 coach was then taken to hospital from the club’s training ground, but passed away on Friday morning.

The former England defender was just 44-years-old.

Ehiogu spent the majority of his career with Aston Villa and Middlesbrough. During his nine years at Villa park, he won the League Cup, before joining Middlesbrough in 2000, where he played for seven years, winning another League Cup in 2004.

The former defender also had spells with Rangers and Sheffield United before retiring in 2009.

Ehiogu won four England caps, and joined Spurs as a coach in 2014.

The world of footballl has paid tribute to Ehiogu since the news of his tragic passing broke, and his former teammate Paul Merson paid his own tribute to him.

Merson played alongside him at Villa between 1998 and 2000, and broke down on Sky Sports News HQ when speaking about his old teammate.

The former Arsenal midfielder was visibly upset and said he is struggling to come to terms with the news, before saying his thoughts were with Ehiogu’s family.

It can’t have been easy for Merson to go on television so soon after the news broke.

You can watch his touching tribute here: