Rich Premier League footballers’ secret perks come under taxman’s scanner

London: Premier League’s top football stars have attracted the interest of tax officials over enjoying secret perquisite’s and benefits. Stars like Wayne Rooney, John Terry and Frank Lampard are all now being subjected to heavy scrutiny by the tax authorities, the Daily Mail reports.

Officials from Her Majesty’s Revenue & Customs (HRMC) have interrogated finance directors at Britain’s richest clubs to find out the extent to which there star players were receiving lavish perks. An official questionnaire which includes questions pertaining to details of free holidays, luxury accommodation and other gifts given to the players has also been sent to 24 leading clubs, by HMRC’s High Net Worth Unit, a group that generally investigates into tax affairs of those worth £20million or more. The details that would be given by these clubs through this questionnaire will be then utilized to cross check with the tax payment details of the individual stars. It would be then evaluated whether the player is liable for any more unpaid tax or if the clubs need to contribute any additional National Insurance contributions This particular investigation can force the leading Premier League clubs to disclose each and every benefits they are providing to their players. Spokesmen for top clubs like Manchester United, Manchester City, Chelsea, Arsenal and Tottenham have refused to comment on the matter. Football stars like Wayne Rooney, Frank Lampard and Steven Gerrard have known to become Britain’s wealthiest sportspersons in recent years, and are suspected of enjoying dubious perks and benefits, handed over to them by their respective football clubs. ANI