Barry
Definitely Not An Old Poster
Pretty sure they can't be self employed - rules got tightened up a few years ago for everyone in that situation (ie. when you are working for one company full time).Did they ban footballers from being self-employed? I remember some noise about it in the news years ago?
Only way to fully stop them avoiding tax would be to force them to be registered as employees of the club.
The way around it would be if they got paid in shares or that sort of thing but it doesn't happen in football really. They all get PAYE same as the rest of us so the club deducts tax directly. Makes them slightly more likeable than tech-bro millionaires.