SHAKIRA has denied rumours she’s dating a hunky Spanish surf instructor who has been dubbed a “clone” of her ex Gerard Pique.
The 45-year-old Hips Don’t Lie singer had been linked to Gorka Ezkurdia, 24, after they were photographed together on a beach near the northern Spanish city of Santander.
BackGridShakira had been linked to Gorka Ezkurdia, 24, after they were photographed together[/caption]
BackGridThe pictures emerged as it was reported Shakira met up with the Spaniard again this weekend[/caption]
BackGridSpanish and South American media speculated they could be more than just good friends[/caption]
ReutersShakira and Gerard Pique confirmed at the start of June they were separating[/caption]
The pictures emerged as it was reported Shakira had met up with the swarthy Spaniard again this weekend after she flew to the area with a female pal following her Barcelona court appearance.
Spanish and South American media have speculated they could be more than just “good friends”.
One described Ezkurdia, born in the village of Oiartzun near to the Basque city of San Sebastian, as a “Pique clone.”
It comes after the retired footballer’s romance with 23-year-old Clara Chia – which allegedly led to the breakdown of their 11-year relationship – was revealed.
One outlet reported: “Shakira has taken revenge on Pique. She now has her Clara Chia, a 24-year-old toy boy.”
But the Colombian singer-songwriter angrily rubbished suggestions she was dating again.
Shakira said: “Out of respect for my children and the vulnerable moment they are going through, I ask the media to stop the speculation.
“I do not have a partner or any interest beyond devoting myself entirely to my children.”
Shakira and Pique confirmed at the start of June they were separating following unconfirmed claims the former Barcelona defender, 35, had been cheating on his long-term partner with a younger woman.
His relationship with Barcelona-born Clara Chia emerged shortly after he and Shakira confirmed they were no longer an item.
The ex-couple attended court in the Catalan capital on Thursday separately to ratify the separation child custody agreement they reached last month after 12-hour talks with their lawyers.
Shakira is relocating to Miami with their sons Sasha, seven, and Milan, nine, as part of the agreement.
She is expected to make the move early next year, although she will have to return to Barcelona for her as-yet undated £12million tax fraud trial.
The mum-of-two has been charged with six counts of tax fraud and has been warned she could be hit with an eight-year prison sentence if found guilty.
Late last month she delivered a stinging attack on tax authorities in Spain, claiming she was being persecuted and accusing the Spanish Treasury of using “unacceptable methods to damage her reputation and force her to come to a settlement agreement.”
She also insisted she had no intention of making any deals and would go to trial.