Radja Nainggolan is now a free agent, just months after being suspended for vaping on the bench

Radja Nainggolan is now a free agent after the Belgian midfielder's contract with Royal Antwerp was terminated by mutual agreement.

The 34-year-old penned a two-year deal with the Belgian First Division side in August after his contract with Inter Milan was also terminated by mutual consent, but his stay at The Great Old has been cut short after a series of incidents.

Back in early October, Nainggolan was arrested for being behind the wheel when his driver's licence had expired, according to Reuters.

And weeks later, after he was named on the subs bench for against Standard Liege, the experienced midfielder was spotted smoking an e-cigarette while sitting in the dugout.

Nainggolan was later suspended indefinitely by Antwerp for 'general behaviour' that reflected badly on the club and was demoted to the club's B-team.

A statement read: “The club had a conversation with Radja Nainggolan about his general behaviour and how this affects the club and the team.

“The club has decided to expel Radja from team A indefinitely. Neither the player nor the club will make any further comments on this.”

Now, two months on from the smoking incident, former Roma player Nainggolan is no longer an Antwerp player after his contract was terminated.

Antwerp chairman Paul Gheysens confirmed the news to Belgian publication Sporza, saying: "He couldn't play here anymore. That was impossible in this group. That doesn't mean we're going to break up in a fight. We settled everything amicably.

"You have players like Modric who are still fit at the age of 36 and you have players who are no longer doing well at the age of 30. Radja is among them."

Image credit: Alamy

Gheysens added: "I think his story is written, despite his talent. Disciplinary he is no longer able to live as a top athlete."

Despite his conduct in Antwerp, Gheysens says he won't be without a club for much longer.

"There is serious interest from abroad," he said. "It will depend on him and his conditions."

Back in October 2021, during an interview with France Football, Nainggolan explained why footballers should be allowed to smoke cigarettes.

“I am a normal person, not a bad boy as most people label me," he said. “I can walk in the worst neighbourhoods and live in a normal way. I can get the treatment most players have, but it doesn’t mean that I look for it.

“I shop at the supermarket, I can drink a glass [of alcohol] and smoke a cigarette with serenity. A footballer can smoke, even if he does not do a ‘normal’ job. Hiding one thing means you have other things to hide.”