The unusual reason Steven Gerrard would have to PAY millions for Rangers or UK return

Alan Shearer hinted TAX reasons may scupper a return to the UK for Steven Gerrard any time soon – and there are eight and a half million reasons why he might be right.

The former Rangers boss’ coat is on a shoogly peg at Al-Ettifaq after a disastrous start to the season has seen them fumble to 12th in the Saudi Pro League table and crash out of the King Cup to second-tier Al-Jabalain. His job is safe for now, but he's just seen sporting director Mark Allen, with whom he worked at Ibrox, axed, alongside his assistant manager Dean Holden. That was a clear message from the club that results have to improve.

He's frequently talked up for a return to the UK, namely Rangers where he remains the only boss to win the league since their journey back up the divisions. But they appear to be sticking with Philippe Clement in the meantime, and with Gerrard one of the highest paid managers in the world on a reported £15m per year, a return would hardly be straightforward.

Even less so due to complicated tax rules which would see him pay heavily were he to return to the UK in the foreseeable future. According to a 2023 report in the Telegraph, players and managers who left England for Saudi Arabia must stay there for a full tax year, or be hit with a bill for 45 per cent of their earnings once they return. Since the tax year runs from April to April, and Gerrard made the move last July, that would mean April 2025 is the earliest he can return to work in the UK without having to pay millions.

If reports over his current salary are to be believed, he will have earned around £18.75m so far. And that would mean a bill of almost £8.5m were he to return to the UK tomorrow.

That's what Shearer is referring to when he hints that 'tax