Former Everton player, Li Tie, has been charged with several counts of suspected bribery by the Chinese authorities.
One of the most famed Chinese footballers of his generation who won more than 90 caps, Li made headlines when he joined Everton from Liaoning FC in 2002.
He spent 4 years at Goodison Park and a further 2 years with Sheffield United before returning to China with Chengdu Blades in 2008.
He took charge as the national team’s head coach in 2020 but stepped down during a failed qualifying campaign for last year’s World Cup.
A statement from the Supreme People’s Procuratorate – the country’s top agency overseeing prosecution – said: “Li Tie, the former head coach of the Chinese national men’s football team, was suspected of accepting bribes, offering bribes, offering bribes at the unit, accepting bribes of non-state employees, and offering bribes to non-state employees.”