Kieran Maguire: Rival fans to savage West Ham on social media amid probe update
Rival fans will likely tease West Ham about HMRC’s probe into their tax affairs – but the official repercussions will not be a major worry for the club.
That is the view of finance guru Kieran Maguire, speaking exclusively to Football Insider about the status of the now six-year-old investigation.
The Hammers’ offices were raided in 2017 as part of an HMRC crackdown on tax fraud by Premier League football clubs.
Football Insider revealed earlier this month (12 January) that, although criminal proceedings have now been concluded, the civil compliance investigation remains active.
It is understood that the Hammers do not expect the case, which centres on payments to agents, to be wrapped up within the current financial year.
Civil proceedings can theoretically bring a 200 per cent penalty on top of any money owed to HMRC.
But Maguire does not believe that West Ham will be troubled by the ongoing scrutiny of their tax affairs.
“I don’t see this as being a major issue,” he told Football Insider’s Adam Williams.
“Nobody really cares about an individual company’s relatively minor indiscretions with regard to tax.
“It gives opposing fans a stick with which to beat West Ham with on social media. But the numbers involved are not going to be significant.
“I don’t think West Ham will be too concerned with this, especially given that they have their own much broader issues to deal with.
“For one, they have the issues regarding the details of the potential change of ownership.“
In other news, pundit verdict on Michail Antonio quitting West Ham as source reveals £10m deal.