Premiership stars in tax loophole 'dodge'

Wayne Rooney: Saved £597,000

First politicians...then bankers...now England’s top footballers have become the latest high-profile individuals to be named and shamed as tax dodgers.

By using complex tax avoidance schemes, Wayne Rooney alone avoided paying nearly £600,000 in the last two years, while even Gareth Barry was able to shirk more than £135,000.

The Sunday Times has uncovered dozens of super-rich footballers who have exploited a loophole which allows them to have parts of their wages paid into their own 'image rights' companies.

The players have two contracts with their clubs. They get a salary as a player and the other is for 'image rights' - earnings from shirts and other merchandising. These royalties are paid into a company which is only liable for 28% corporation tax rather than the 50% income tax.

And players can even take out loans from their companies where they ONLY pay 2% tax on the sum because it is regarded as a 'benefit in kind'!

Rooney, who is believed to earn over £200,000 per week, has borrowed £1.6million in two years from his company, saving £597,291 in tax.

The scheme is currently legal but will be a kick in the teeth for millions of ordinary supporters who pay tax at normal rates.

Now the taxman has demanded the clubs pay £100m on behalf of their players as HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) investigates how to stop the arrangement.