Spain’s prosecutor said on Wednesday it was seeking a five-year jail sentence and a fine of 4 million euros (£3.5 million) for former footballer Xabi Alonso over accusations of tax fraud.

The prosecutor said in a statement Alonso is accused of defrauding the Spanish state some 2 million euros between 2010 and 2012.

The prosecutor called for the same sentence to be applied to Alonso’s financial advisor, Ivan Zaldua Azcuenaga, and the administrator of consultancy shell company, Ignasi Casanova.

The Spanish government has been clamping down on footballers who are found guilty of either evading or avoiding tax.

Barcelona’s Lionel Messi and Real Madrid’s Cristiano Ronaldo were recently prosecuted for similar offenses.

(Reuters/NAN)