Manchester United striker Alexis Sanchez has been sentenced to 16 months prison in Spain.

The London Evening Standard says Sanchez was accused of defrauding the Spanish Treasury of €1million (£890,000) while playing for Barcelona in 2012-13, by using a shell company in Malta called Numidia to divert his earning on image rights, avoiding tax payments.

Former Arsenal striker Sanchez has reached an agreement with the Office of the Attorney General and the State Attorney having returned the money defrauded plus interest.

The 29-year-old will not serve time in jail unless he commits a similar crime within the next two years.

The Chilean's former Barcelona team-mate Lionel Messi and father Jorge received a 21-month prison sentence - reduced to a €252,000 (£223,000) fine - for failing to pay a combined €3.1m (£2.76m) in tax.