Former Premier League midfielder and Chinese football coach Li Tie has reportedly been sentenced to jail in his country amid a crackdown on corruption. The former China international will now spend the rest of his life behind bars after being found guilty of corruption.
Li Tie featured in the Premier League with Everton, playing alongside Wayne Rooney under the management of David Moyes at the club. He enjoyed a successful debut season in the Premier League before injuries plagued him for the remainder of his time in England.
Li Tie moved to Sheffield United after he left Everton as a free agent in 2006, and he spent two more years in England before returning to China. He retired as a footballer in 2011 and moved on to management, taking up an assistant manager role.
In 2015, Li Tie took over as manager of Hebei China Fortune, leading them to the first division, and did the same with Wuhan Zall. He also managed the Chinese national team between 2019 and 2021 before his firing for failing to lead the side to the FIFA World Cup.
In a televised confession, Li Tie revealed that he had paid around £331,000 in bribes to become China’s manager. He also revealed that he achieved his promotions with Hebei China Fortune and Wuhan Zall through match-fixing as well.
Metro News has reported that the 46-year-old will now spend the rest of his life in jail after his confession. He had been suspected of corruption since 2022 before his confession confirmed his suspicion.
