Wayne Rooney Could be in Serious Trouble

From Manchester United Kingdom according to the Guardian: "Due to recent events, Sven-Goran Eriksson is not going to be the only one that will keep a close eye on the result of forthcoming negotiations among the Wayne Rooney and Michael Owen camps over the Manchester United striker's gambling debts.

Some of Rooney's advisor's and representatives of Stephen Smith, a business relation of Owen who agreed to take the bets over a six-month period, is going to bargain over the exceptional £700,000 in the days that are to come HM Revenue and Customs are surely going to observe closely the negotiations."

"Because of the fact that it has become a licensed bookmaker Smith is has to pay betting duty of 15% on gross profits, which would mean a total sum of £105,000 if he will get the full £700,000 that he claims to be owed. Smith's company Goldchip Limited was only approved to have a bookmaker's license last Thursday, though the lawyers from McKay Law insist that at the time the bets were struck Smith was qualified to act as a manager to a third-party bookmaker, meaning duty is still payable."