The Brazilian former Red Devils midfielder told he will go to prison for failure to pay child maintenance
Former Manchester United star Anderson has been threatened with jail time over an alleged failure to pay child maintenance.
The 37-year-old could face up to 30 days in prison unless he pays the £142,000 he reportedly owes.
The decision was made on September 3 by a family court judge in the retired footballer’s hometown of Porto Alegre in southern Brazil, but only came to light recently.
Brazilian media report that Anderson, who won the Premier League four times with United after joining from Porto in July 2007, will be confined to his cell.
He will be under strict supervision in a ‘closed regime’ if there is room for him in local prisons unless he makes a last-minute payment.
Reports suggest he will be allowed out to study or do community work during the day, but must return to his cell at night, under a more relaxed ‘semi-open regime’, only if the prison is overcrowded.
The court decision is believed to be based on the alimony payments Anderson owed as of 28 July.
The ex-footballer, who also played for Fiorentina in Italy’s Serie A and Internacional in his home country before retiring at just 31, has not yet made any official comment.
His solicitor Julio Cezar Coitinho Jr confirmed to local media that the case involved minors, but declined to comment further due to a confidentiality order. In 2015, it was reported that Anderson was a father to four children, and by the start of last year, this number had risen to nine.
During an interview with a Brazilian newspaper, he reminisced about his time at United.
He disclosed that he and his former Portuguese teammate Nani were “adopted” by Cristiano Ronaldo for nearly a year, during which they lived at his house and slept on stretchers.
He expressed his gratitude: “I thank him very much. He adopted me. We lived at Ronaldo’s house for almost a year. We left because we wanted to leave.
“For him we could have stayed there. We didn’t spend anything. The guy took us to training, fed us, had a cook for us. There was a swimming pool inside and outside the house, a jacuzzi, and a tennis court.”
Anderson earned eight caps for his country. His debut for Brazil came during the 2007 Copa America, which they ultimately won.
He also represented the Brazil Olympic football team at the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing, helping them secure a bronze medal.
He netted his first goal for United in the Audi Cup friendly tournament against Boca Juniors in July 2009, two years after signing a five-year contract with the club, becoming its second Brazilian player following Kleberson.
Anderson penned a new four-and-a-half year deal with United in December 2010, but moved to Brazilian side Sport Club Internacional on a free transfer during the 2014-15 season after losing his place in the team.
