Following well-publicised raids at Newcastle and West Ham by HMRC officials this morning it appears the investigation could centre around Marseille transfer activity and payments to agents.
West Ham purchased Dimitri Payet and Alou Diarra from Marseille in recent years and rumours suggest it is these deals are being looked into closely.
Chelsea has also been reportedly asked questions by HMRC into their transfer of Michy Batshuayi from Marseille in the summer but has not been accused of any wrongdoing as yet.
One senior figure at Newcastle told the Financial Times this morning arrests in Newcastle relate to payments made to agents in transfer dealings, and that computers and business records had been seized by HMRC officers. We understand no arrests were made at West Ham and no computers were removed.
Breaking news in France has suggested Marseille are implicated in the investigation, with French radio station RTL giving the breaking news that the ex-board of Marseille are also a target for HMRC.
In the year Payet was signed to West Ham agent fees paid by West Ham jumped to £7,049,001. They rose to £9.5m for the year ending 31st January 2017 and total just under £44m since disclosure of agent fees was enforced by the Premier League in 2008.
A source at Marseille told the London Evening Standard “The belief is that organised criminal gangs targeted senior officials at the club, agents and other parties, Marseille has done a lot of high profile business with both West Ham and Newcastle in recent years, and accordingly, both British clubs are being brought into this enquiry.”
Not entirely sure the HMRC can go after companies in France
Marseille do get themselves tied up in controversy.I forget the owner or chairmens name before,Bernard Tapie was it that was found to be corrupt many years ago.
Marseille got relegated previously due financial irregularities… here’s hoping the barcodes go the same way.
Lol the comments that were joking about Hippo Head have been deleted 😂
There is a big difference between slanderous comments and ones messing around,jesus wept 😂😂
Surprised Hippo Head is allowed…. seems to me that the great British sense of humour looks to be on it’s way out.
Dont know why but any mention of Hippo Head and scandal is deleted.
I think he put the fear of god up Hugh & Sean when he sued some paper or media outlet once before for defamation of character or whatever it was 😂😁
Maybe just refer to him as baby face finlayson they have a similar penchant for mischief and the same wide face.
I got moderator zapped did i lol
I only mentioned something harmless and in no way offensive about bfs.It was a joke.
I cant believe how much some of the wet ones are revelling in this today.Its embarrassing to read it if im entirely honest!!
Its like great lets see the club go down the kermit if it means DG,DS and Brady are implicated and charged.We have some strange,strange fans of our club lol
….and Morgan Amalfitano joined from Marseilles on 1st September 2014, Alou Diarra joined on 11 August 2012 (Dimitri Payet signed on 26 June 2015) Allardyce was the Manager from the 1st June 2011 until 25 May 2015 – Bilic took over from Allardyce on 9 June 2015.
Smelling a fat rat are you Michael lol
I think its a Hippo he is smelling Stan