Own goal for Arsenal
Flicking through the sports pages of the nationals at the weekend, TS was intrigued to come across stories regarding Arsenal’s tax bill.
The Gunners have been using employee benefit trusts, which allowed them to give employees interest-free loans and offset them against profits, and were recently ruled illegal by the House of Lords in the Dextra case.
One correspondent said: ‘Arsenal is worried that foreign nationals can ultimately avoid UK tax if they move abroad, a factor that may influence players when they consider their futures.’
Given the apparent dearth of homegrown talent that is blighting the game, some might say that is one of the greater benefits of the government’s tax clampdown.
It has also given Thierry Henry the perfect excuse to move to Barcelona in search of a Champions League medal.