Former Manchester United star with nine kids faces jail for ‘not paying £45k child maintenance’

Manchester United legend, Anderson has been ordered to prison for failing to pay  £45k child maintenance.

The 36-year-old former Brazilian midfielder has been told he will have to serve time in jail in the southern Brazilian city of Porto Alegre unless he hands over the £45,000 he owes.

The decision was taken last week by a family court judge in the retired footballer’s home city but only became public overnight on Tuesday, September 10.

The jail where ex-Brazil international Anderson, who won the Premier League four times with United after signing for the club from Porto in July 2007, would have to serve his sentence has been identified locally as the Irmao Miguel Dario Prison.

The former footballer, who retired aged just 31, is said to have been told he must serve 30 days behind bars unless he clears his child maintenance debt.

He has been offered the option of doing his prison time in a ‘semi-open’ regime whereby he could work or study outside the jail during the day but return to sleep at night, according to respected Brazilian news website GZH.

Anderson, full name Anderson Luis de Abreu Oliveira, is said to be a father to nine children.