The Hindu : Real Madrid leads Beckham chase

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Friday, Jun 13, 2003

Sport

Sport - Football

Real Madrid leads Beckham chase

MADRID June 12. Beckham for Barcelona? Don't bet on it. Becks for the Bernabeu is more likely.

England captain David Beckham is expected to join Real Madrid, not archrival FC Barcelona, if he leaves Manchester United.

That's the general consensus in England and Spain following Beckham's rejection of United's agreement to sell him to Barcelona.

The deal, worth a reported £30 million ($48 million), is contingent on Joan Laporta winning Barcelona's presidential election Sunday and Beckham agreeing to contract terms.

But Beckham's agents complain he is being treated like a ``political pawn'' and has no plans to go to Barcelona.

Real Madrid is now the front-runner in the chase to sign the 28-year-old midfielder. AC Milan and Inter Milan are other potential contenders.

``Madrid's agreement with the player seems to be finalised,'' Spain's leading sports daily, Marca, said Thursday. ``Madrid now must negotiate with United.''

The paper said it had ``gained access to details'' of a meeting between club envoys and Beckham, his wife Victoria and the player's agents. The paper gave no date or venue for the meeting.

Marca said the envoys were ``amazed'' by Beckham and that he asked ``up to 15 questions,'' including about Madrid's young central defender Francisco Pavon.

Marca said Beckham was ``satisfied with explanations given by Madrid's envoys.''

The paper added that Madrid president Florentino Perez and sports director Jorge Valdano were not present but attended another meeting involving Beckham.

Another meeting is scheduled for June 23, the day after the Spanish league season ends, Marca said.

The paper also said United could report Madrid to FIFA for making an illegal approach to Beckham if it is confirmed the Spanish side contacted the player before the club.

Beckham has two years left on his United contract. The club wants to sell him now rather than let him go on a free transfer at the end of his contract. Beckham, who has been in Los Angeles, is due to return to England on Friday.

``There are icons in soccer and Beckham is one of them,'' Valdano said in a Spanish television interview. ``We have in our team a lot of (players) from the south. We have Ronaldo, Zidane, who has Arabic origins, Argentine and Spanish players. We represent everything that's Latin.

``And Beckham is the North. I think he's a complement which seems especially attractive, above all for the media.''

National station Antena 3 TV suggested that Beckham had already signed a preliminary contract with Madrid, and that announcement of a final deal could be made by Perez around June 22.

Madrid's Brazilian left back Roberto Carlos appeared to welcome the prospect of Beckham's arrival.

``What's certain is that Florentino (Perez) has done a great deal of work so that Beckham will come to Madrid,'' he was quoted as saying in sports daily AS. ``I am sure that if Beckham has to choose, he will choose Real Madrid ahead of Barcelona. They are not a bad team, but he knows that we are more complete.''

Since Perez became president in July 2000, Madrid has signed one of world soccer's biggest names each summer, including Luis Figo, Zinedine Zidane and Ronaldo.

Barcelona-based newspapers acknowledged Thursday that Beckham might choose Madrid over the Catalan club. — AP

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