Beckham’s Plot Has New Twists
The David Beckham saga took a few more curious twists Monday when one of Manchester United’s greatest players slammed his former team for the way it has handled the situation and the man who promised to bring Beckham to Barcelona said he had promised no such thing.
George Best, European player of the year in 1968 when his dazzling play on the wing inspired Manchester United to its European Cup triumph, said he hopes Beckham rejects any move and forces United to honor the two years remaining on his contract.
“He’s certainly been loyal to Manchester United and I think he’s been treated abysmally,” Best told an English tabloid, the Sun. “If I was him, I would dig my heels in and go back. Whether they play him or not is simply another decision the club would have to make.”
Meanwhile, Joan Laporta, who was elected Barcelona’s president Sunday based on a campaign centered on bringing Beckham to the Spanish club, denied he had made any commitment to do so.
“I did not promise to bring David Beckham to Barcelona,” Laporta, a 40-year-old lawyer, told the British Broadcasting Corp. “I said I had an agreement with Manchester United that contained conditions. One of those conditions was that I became president of the club. I have now done that.”
Radomir Antic, Barcelona’s coach, did not see it that way.
“It is difficult to say whether Beckham will come,” he told Britain’s Sky Sports News. “It was a big promise by Mr. Laporta, and nobody knows at the moment if that promise comes true.”
It appears unlikely.
Beckham does not want to go to Barcelona, which has offered a reported $49.5 million for him, and if he has to be traded he would rather join Ronaldo, Luis Figo, Raul, Zinedine Zidane and Roberto Carlos at Real Madrid.
A report Monday in the Times of London said Real Madrid has offered $23.5 million plus one of two midfielders, Geremi of Cameroon or Claude Makelele of France, for Beckham, but Jorge Valdano, Real’s director of sport, denied that any negotiations have taken place.
“Until the end of the season, we don’t want to talk about Beckham,” he said.
Ronaldinho Waits
The future of Brazilian World Cup winner Ronaldinho of Paris Saint Germain has taken a back seat to the Beckham transfer debate, but this summer’s second-biggest trade remains a hot topic in France.
Former PSG coach and French international Luis Fernandez said Monday the two trades are linked.
“It is my opinion that Beckham will join Real Madrid this summer and Ronaldinho will end up playing for Manchester United,” he said.
But PSG President Francois Graille said he hopes to persuade Ronaldinho to honor his contract with the French team.
“Discussions continue, but I’m sure he will be in Paris next year,” he told Manchester United’s Web site. “I don’t doubt that one day soon, Ronaldinho will say to me, ‘I’ll stay.’ ”
Quick Passes
Everton and England national team goalkeeper Richard Wright will be sidelined six to eight weeks after dislocating his right shoulder when he fell from a loft at home in Ipswich, England.... Former German international Bernd Schuster, 43, has been selected coach of Ukrainian champion Shakhtar Donetsk.... The Chinese league will begin play July 2 after the season was delayed for six weeks because of the SARS outbreak.... Dutch international defender Jaap Stam has rejected a new contract from financially troubled Lazio of Italy that calls for a 45% pay cut and could be traded.... French champion Lyon is poised to acquire the league’s leading goal scorer, Shabani Nonda of Burundi, from AS Monaco for $18 million. Nonda would replace Brazilian striker Sonny Anderson, who is leaving Lyon.
