José Mourinho has agreed to pay a fine to settle a tax dispute with the Spanish authorities during his spell at Real Madrid, it is understood.
Contrary to reports in Spain, which emerged on Tuesday, the deal did not involve the now Manchester United manager accepting a one-year suspended prison sentence.
A case had been opened against the Portuguese coach last year, which alleged former Real Madrid boss Mourinho owes the Spanish state nearly £2.9 million (€3.2 million) in undeclared revenue related to image rights in 2011 and 2012 – a claim which has been strenuously denied by his representatives.
On November 3rd, 2017, Mourinho made a brief appearance before a judge at a court in Madrid, and said as he left courthouse he had paid everything he owed to Spanish tax authorities.
Fine
On Tuesday, Madrid-based media outlet El Mundo reported that a deal had now been reached which will see the case closed, with the 55-year-old accepting a fine of about £1.8 million (€2 million) as well as two six-month suspended sentences, one for each tax fraud case.
Under Spanish law, a judge can suspend sentences which are two years or less for first-time offenders. Press Association Sport understands from a source with knowledge of the case any form of suspended prison sentence has not been handed out or accepted as part of the agreement, which had been reached more than two months ago. A fine will be paid.
A brief statement from the Spanish Attorney General Office when contacted on Tuesday by Press Association Sport read: "The Office of the Prosecutor does not comment on this report that affects Jose Mourinho. "
There was no comment from Manchester United on what is regarded as a private matter. Mourinho’s representatives Gestifute Media were also approached for comment.
The allegations against Mourinho are part of a wider crackdown by the Spain authorities against tax fraud, with several leading figures in football having been investigated – including Barcelona midfielder Lionel Messi and former Real Madrid forward Cristiano Ronaldo.
Allegations
Mourinho guided Real Madrid to the 2011/12 LaLiga title, returning to manage Chelsea after leaving the Bernabeu in June 2013 before taking over at Old Trafford in May 2016.
Commenting on the allegations against the United boss in June, Gestifute Media said at the time: “Jose Mourinho, who lived in Spain from June 2010 until May 2013, paid more than €26 million in taxes, with an average tax rate over 41 per cent, and accepted the regularisation proposals made by the Spanish tax authorities in 2015 regarding the years of 2011 and 2012 and entered into a settlement agreement regarding 2013.
“The Spanish government in turn, through the tax department, issued a certificate in which it attested that he had regularised his position and was in compliance with all his tax obligations.”
– PA
