arsed with any of it. For all the Beckham rumour junkies,
here is the latest round up:
LATEST BECKHAM RUMOURS
arsed with any of it. For all the Beckham rumour junkies,
here is the latest round up:
The Scotsman has canvassed fans’ opinions, his dad said to
the PA:
the PA:
“He is Man United through and through, he is a Man United
fan as well as a player. He doesn’t want anything else but
United. I know that for a fact. All his mates are there.
People are making something out of nothing.”
fan as well as a player. He doesn’t want anything else but
United. I know that for a fact. All his mates are there.
People are making something out of nothing.”
Mark Longden of IMUSA said:
“The organisation went down a rocky road a few years ago
when we sold Mark Hughes, Andrei Kanchelskis and Paul Ince
and we learnt from that we have to back his judgement. I
think the fans would back him and the only thing that would
annoy them was if the PLC board had a bid and accepted it
when the manager did not want to sell him. I have no doubt
they would flog the ground if the right bid came in.
when we sold Mark Hughes, Andrei Kanchelskis and Paul Ince
and we learnt from that we have to back his judgement. I
think the fans would back him and the only thing that would
annoy them was if the PLC board had a bid and accepted it
when the manager did not want to sell him. I have no doubt
they would flog the ground if the right bid came in.
“If Fergie thinks it’s the right way forward for the club he
would have no qualms in selling Beckham. He sold his own son
and if his wife played for them she would be down the road
if she wasn’t doing the job. His track record suggests most
of his decisions have worked out and perhaps the ones that
have not is because of outside influences, but the people
who know will back his decision.”
would have no qualms in selling Beckham. He sold his own son
and if his wife played for them she would be down the road
if she wasn’t doing the job. His track record suggests most
of his decisions have worked out and perhaps the ones that
have not is because of outside influences, but the people
who know will back his decision.”
Alex Stepney:
“What surprises me is that Sir Alex has said he wants to win
the Champions League and to do that you have to have world
class players. He has said he wants to stay on as long as he
can and wants to win the Champions League and you have to
bring players in and some players don’t fit in.
the Champions League and to do that you have to have world
class players. He has said he wants to stay on as long as he
can and wants to win the Champions League and you have to
bring players in and some players don’t fit in.
“No player is bigger than the club and every manager is
ruthless. In the last 11 years Sir Alex has changed the team
three times and maybe he feels this is the time to do it
again. It would be sad to see Beckham go, he is one of the
generation of players which included the Nevilles, Nicky
Butt and Paul Scholes, and their life is here.”
ruthless. In the last 11 years Sir Alex has changed the team
three times and maybe he feels this is the time to do it
again. It would be sad to see Beckham go, he is one of the
generation of players which included the Nevilles, Nicky
Butt and Paul Scholes, and their life is here.”
Meanwhile a row has started in Spain between rival
candidates for the Barcelona Presidency. The front runner
Lluis Bassat has criticised Joan Laporta for offering to buy
Beckham, claiming that the club can’t afford it.
“AC Milan have said they can't afford to pay for him and
they are in a much better financial situation than us. Mr
Laporta needs to explain how he is going to manage to do all
that he has promised. We were also offered David Beckham,
but I said that I would not talk about players or salaries
before the elections took place.”
Whatever Laporta is doing though it is clearly working.
Although he still trails in the polls, he has gone from a
20% deficit to a 3% deficit within two weeks.
candidates for the Barcelona Presidency. The front runner
Lluis Bassat has criticised Joan Laporta for offering to buy
Beckham, claiming that the club can’t afford it.
“AC Milan have said they can't afford to pay for him and
they are in a much better financial situation than us. Mr
Laporta needs to explain how he is going to manage to do all
that he has promised. We were also offered David Beckham,
but I said that I would not talk about players or salaries
before the elections took place.”
Whatever Laporta is doing though it is clearly working.
Although he still trails in the polls, he has gone from a
20% deficit to a 3% deficit within two weeks.
AC Milan have joined in the race to sign Beckham with vice-
chairman Adriano Galliani telling the Sun:
chairman Adriano Galliani telling the Sun:
“Beckham is our primary target. We are pursuing our
objective and will do everything in our power to get him.”
objective and will do everything in our power to get him.”
The club has confirmed that discussions are proceeding. In a
statement to the PA they said:
statement to the PA they said:
'Manchester United can confirm that clubs from Italy and
Spain have expressed a firm interest in signing David
Beckham. David's advisers SFX have also been approached by
clubs independently and we are in regular and close contact
with them regarding the status on those discussions, which
are ongoing.'
Spain have expressed a firm interest in signing David
Beckham. David's advisers SFX have also been approached by
clubs independently and we are in regular and close contact
with them regarding the status on those discussions, which
are ongoing.'
Meanwhile in the Sun, with whom Beckham’s advisors SFX have
an exclusivity deal, a source ‘close’ to Beckham speaks of
his feelings of betrayal:
"He feels ostracised by Manchester United. All he has ever
done is give his best to the club. Now he believes he is
being traded round like a piece of meat."
The Super soar-away paper also reports that Israeli agent
Pini Zahavi is now involved in the Beckham deal, and stands
to make £1.5m if it goes through.
Zahavi made £4.8m moving Rio Ferdinand from West Ham to
Leeds and then to Manchester United, and was also part of
the £28m deal bringing Veron to Old Trafford.
Finally the MEN report that Beckham is bringing out a warts
and all autobiography this summer. Harper-Collins, the
publishers, won’t reveal who will be serialising the book
but it can be imagined that there will be a fair bit of
Fergie baiting available to whoever has paid a reported £1m
for the privilege. For someone who claims that he wants to
stay at Old Trafford, this may not be the smartest move ever
made.
an exclusivity deal, a source ‘close’ to Beckham speaks of
his feelings of betrayal:
"He feels ostracised by Manchester United. All he has ever
done is give his best to the club. Now he believes he is
being traded round like a piece of meat."
The Super soar-away paper also reports that Israeli agent
Pini Zahavi is now involved in the Beckham deal, and stands
to make £1.5m if it goes through.
Zahavi made £4.8m moving Rio Ferdinand from West Ham to
Leeds and then to Manchester United, and was also part of
the £28m deal bringing Veron to Old Trafford.
Finally the MEN report that Beckham is bringing out a warts
and all autobiography this summer. Harper-Collins, the
publishers, won’t reveal who will be serialising the book
but it can be imagined that there will be a fair bit of
Fergie baiting available to whoever has paid a reported £1m
for the privilege. For someone who claims that he wants to
stay at Old Trafford, this may not be the smartest move ever
made.