Cristiano Ronaldo ‘offers €14m to avoid going to prison’

Only two things are certain in life: death and newspaper stories about high-profile Spanish-based footballers' taxes.

Usually, such stories play out identically... Player is accused of not declaring enough tax; reports claim player might go to prison for not declaring enough tax; player goes to court; player gets his wrists slapped, pays a fine but doesn't actually go to prison. The end. Cristiano Ronaldo has once again found himself at the heart of one of these stories. The Real Madrid forward has been involved in a legal battle with Spanish authorities recently after accusations he hadn't declared his tax properly. Now, according to reports in El Mundo (via The Mirror), it's claimed Ronaldo has offered to stump up €14m (£12.2m) and admit guilt to tax evasion in a bid to avoid going to prison. The Portuguese captain is also said to want accusations against his representatives - including agent Jorge Mendes - to be dropped as part of the payment. The Spanish Treasury have accused the 33-year-old of failing to pay €14.7m (£12.8m) in tax on money earned through his image rights between 2011 and 2014. They are said to be considering Ronaldo's offer although if it's rejected he could be sentences to a three-year prison sentence.