Over 80 players have been investigated by the HMRC wealth team in the last tax year while 20 football clubs have also been targeted.

With many players earning more than £150,000, even youngsters joining the big clubs, there is a lack of awareness that they need to complete a self assessment tax return so football clubs need to take more action to make sure their players know their tax responsibilities.

Football agents, long viewed as a risk area for unpaid tax, have not been given a break either with 21 of them facing action from HMRC, according to analysis from UHY Hacker Young.