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Arsenal's Alexis Sanchez faces probe into tax during Barcelona spell - report

Arsenal forward Alexis Sanchez has been accused of defrauding the Spanish tax authorities of almost €1 million for concealing part of what he earned from image rights during his time as a Barcelona player, according to Catalan newspaper El Periodico. 

The daily publication reported that the public prosecutor's office has filed a complaint against Sanchez, who is suspected of having filed fraudulent tax returns in 2012 and 2013 to avoid paying €983,443 (£889,169).

El Periodico said Sanchez, who joined Arsenal in the summer of 2014 after three seasons at Barca, is alleged to have sought to conceal earnings from his image rights by using companies set up in Chile and in Malta.

The newspaper report claims the Chile international is alleged to have defrauded the authorities of €587,677 in 2012 and €395,766 in 2013.

If confirmed, the 29-year-old would be the fifth player to have been on the books of Barcelona to have had problems with taxes in the Spanish courts.

Earlier this summer, Barca star Lionel Messi was found guilty of three counts of tax fraud. The Argentina captain was fined and handed a suspended 21-month prison sentence.

Messi's Argentina and Barca teammate Javier Mascherano entered a guilty plea for concealing part of what he earned from image rights and was fined and given a one-year prison sentence that was also suspended.

Former Cameroon star Samuel Eto'o, who played for Barca from 2004 and 2009 and is currently with Turkish side Antalyaspor, and Brazilian defender Adriano also have open cases against them regarding alleged tax evasion in Spain.

Adriano left Barca after six seasons at the club to join Besiktas this summer.

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