Former Liverpool striker fined and placed on deliberate tax defaulters list

Former Liverpool striker Emile Heskey has been found guilty of deliberately defaulting on his taxes by HMRC (Her Majesty's Revenue & Customs). Heskey was found to have evaded paying taxes totaling up to £92,161 between April 2017 and April 2020.

The former England international, who represented his nation on 62 occasions, has now been fined £41,933.25 by HMRC. The 44-year-old will also be added to the list of intentional tax defaulters, as per The Telegraph.

The former Liverpool striker is currently occupying the role of Leicester City’s Head of Women's Football Development. The Englishman returned to his boyhood club in 2020 intitially on an ambassadorial role before taking up his new post and it remains to be seen if he will remain following his legal issues.

The HMRC is however pleased with its work, and in a statement to the press, a spokesperson said (via the aforementioned report):

“We are committed to making sure people pay the tax they owe. For the minority who refuse to pay, HMRC has a range of tools available and we are able to publish the names of those penalised under civil procedures for deliberately defaulting on certain tax obligations.

“This is about influencing behaviour by encouraging defaulters to engage with HMRC.”

HMRC reportedly has the footballing world in its sights, with 329 footballers and 31 clubs under investigation for tax avoidance. Heskey might end up being the first of many, as the tax collection agency pursues its objectives.

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Liverpool have agreed on a four-year sponsorship deal with Standard Chartered

While their former player is dealing tax fraud issues, Liverpool have continued to succeed.

The Reds have announced that they have agreed to extend their shirt sponsorship deal with Standard Chartered for four years. The Anfield outfit have seen their stock rise in recent years, with five trophies under Jurgen Klopp's illustrious managerial reign.

The deal signed in 2018 saw the Reds raise their contract with the notable bank from £20 million per year to £40 million per year. With both parties unable to come to an agreement over the extension fee, the Reds were reportedly seeking new sponsors (as per SportsMole).

However, an eventual agreement has been reached. For the next four years, the Anfield faithful will be happy to see the bank's logo on their shirts, like it has been since 2010.