Spanish police plan arrests relating to match-fixing allegations involving Leeds United's Samuel Saiz

The country’s national force said it was targeting current and former players as well as officials at Spanish clubs and had carried out nine searches during a probe into match-fixing and money laundering.

The probe was launched amid allegations that an organised group attempted to fix at least three matches in Spain’s top three divisions, including one game which prompted a volume of bets 14 times higher than a typical second division fixture.

Saiz was named by some media outlets in Spain this morning as one of the individuals detained, although the 28-year-old has not been formally arrested. He is on holiday with his family and is understood to have provided a statement to investigators.

The midfielder finished this season on loan at La Liga side Getafe and was expected to make a permanent move back to Spain this summer having told Leeds in December that he was unsettled in England, 18 months into a four-year contract. Alaves are one of the teams interested in signing him.

Former Real Madrid players Raul Bravo, a one-time loanee at Leeds, and Borja Fernández are among those arrested, with reports claiming that Bravo is seen by police as the group’s ringleader.

Agustin Lasaosa, the president of Huesca where Saiz played until his move to Elland Road in 2017, is also reported to have been questioned by authorities.

A statement from Spanish police said: “The arrest of 11 people, including retired and active first division football players, active second division players as well as presidents and managers is planned.

“The investigation has established that those under investigation reached agreements with different players to ‘fix’ at least three games in the first, second and third divisions.”

The police action is believed to have followed a complaint made by La Liga over possible match-fixing in a second division game involving Huesca last season. Saiz was a Leeds player at the time.

A La Liga statement said: ”We want to thank the national police for the extraordinary work done to dismantle what appears to be an organised criminal group dedicated to obtaining economic benefits through the predetermination of football matches.

“La Liga continues to fight to eradicate any scourge against fair play in Spanish football.”