Liam Payne is "besotted" with Maya Henry.
Liam Payne
The 'Bedroom Floor' singer was only reported to have rekindled his romance with Maya - who he previously went on several dates with soon after splitting with ex partner Cheryl Tweedy - this weekend, but it has now been claimed they've actually been dating for "several months", but have kept things quiet out of "respect" to Cheryl.
A source told The Sunday Mirror's Watts the Goss column: "Liam and Maya have been together for several months now. He is besotted and they get on very well. But he wanted to wait before they started going public. He is close to Cheryl and, out of respect to her, only wanted to go public with a girlfriend when he knew it was right."
Liam, 25, split with Cheryl - with whom he has two-year-old son Bear - last summer after just over two years together, and was reported shortly afterwards to have met Maya at a Dolce & Gabbana gala dinner in Tremezzo, Lake Como.
After the party in Italy, the One Direction star was also seen partying with the Instagram star on board a luxury yacht in Cannes, France, though they were not yet in a "serious relationship".
A source said at the time: "Liam and Maya get on well - and she's a stunning girl.
"They have kissed a couple of times, but he is in no rush to date again and certainly isn't ready for a serious relationship.
"Liam is simply focusing on work at the moment, and above all else obviously his main priority is Bear."
Liam has since been romantically linked to supermodel Naomi Campbell and Victoria's Secret beauty Stella Maxwell.
Prior to dating Maya, the 'Strip That Down' hitmaker was also believed to have romanced US model Cairo Dwek.
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