Liam Payne has confirmed he is in a relationship with Cheryl Fernandez-Versini after he posted a photo of the pair in a intimate embrace on Instagram.com.

The One Direction singer updated his profile picture on the social media site on Saturday (27Feb16), using a black and white photo of the pair snuggled in bed.

The 22-year-old is seemingly topless, while Cheryl, 32, is posing for the camera and making the 'peace' sign with her hand. Liam has also updated his Instagram profile status to "Happy".

It's the first official confirmation that the pair are in the throes of a new relationship, after rumors circulated on Friday (26Feb16) that the two were an item. Liam and Cheryl have allegedly been secretly romancing each other since December last year (15), after One Direction appeared on the X Factor UK final to perform before the boyband went on their hiatus.

It was also reportedly the same month that Cheryl split from her husband of 19 months, Jean Bernard Fernandez-Versini.

The first photo of Liam and Cheryl comes as it was claimed the One Directioner has also had a tattoo of a rose inked on his hand in tribute to his new girlfriend, who has a huge tattoo of the same flower on her bottom.

The former Girls Aloud member has yet to comment on the report.