Ex-Liverpool star Jamie Carragher faces bankruptcy over £700,000 tax debt

Former Liverpool and England defender Jamie Carragher is reportedly facing a bankruptcy petition due to a substantial unpaid tax bill. Documents indicate the debt is estimated to be between £700,000 and £800,000, with lawyers representing HM Revenue and Customs filing the case against James Lee Duncan Carragher.

Carragher, who had a distinguished playing career for Liverpool from 1996 to 2013, has since become a prominent football pundit. He regularly appears on Sky Sports' Premier League coverage, the Stick to Football show, and CBS Sports' Champions League programming.

A spokesperson for Carragher addressed the situation, characterizing it as a "private tax matter that should have been resolved sooner." The spokesperson added that "the appropriate steps are being taken today to settle it" and expressed confidence that the matter "will not proceed any further and will be resolved imminently."

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We take a supportive approach to dealing with customers who have tax debts and do everything we can to help those who engage with us to get out of debt, such as offering instalment plans. We only petition for bankruptcy as a last resort.

An HMRC spokesperson commented that the agency does not discuss individual cases but emphasized its supportive approach to customers with tax debts. "We take a supportive approach to dealing with customers who have tax debts and do everything we can to help those who engage with us to get out of debt, such as offering instalment plans," the spokesperson said. "We only petition for bankruptcy as a last resort."

Carragher is not the first former footballer to encounter tax-related financial difficulties. Several ex-professionals, including David James, Wes Brown, Lee Hendrie, Emile Heskey, and Trevor Sinclair, have previously been declared bankrupt or faced bankruptcy petitions over unpaid tax bills. Reports also suggest that up to 200 footballers may have lost significant sums, with some facing bankruptcy and losing their homes.

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This is a private tax matter that should have been resolved sooner, and the appropriate steps are being taken today to settle it. It is understood that the matter will not proceed any further and will be resolved imminently.