Team Infidel
Forum Spin Doctor
MAR ROMAN
Associated Press
MADRID, Spain - The Los Angeles Galaxy would like to have David Beckham in their lineup as early as this spring, though where the star midfielder will spend the next six months is unclear.
Beckham agreed to a five-year contract last week with the Major League Soccer club, starting in August. He is leaving Real Madrid, whose coach has said Beckham will no longer play for the team, just practice.
A spokesman for Beckham said Monday that the 31-year-old Englishman intends to fulfill the rest of his Real Madrid contract. Reports in Europe, however, say he could soon leave the Spanish club and head for Los Angeles. His Galaxy deal reportedly is worth $250 million in salary and endorsements.
"Until the club sits down with him to address the situation, David will continue to train with Real Madrid until the end of the season with his usual professionalism," spokesman Simon Oliveira told The Associated Press.
MLS commissioner Don Garber said Beckham will remain a Madrid player until his contract expires in June, denying a Spanish newspaper story that said Beckham's lawyers were trying to arrange his early release.
"There have been many recent reports from the news media that have attributed incorrect quotes from my office, including fabricated quotes that were attributed directly to me earlier today," said Garber, who is on vacation in Mexico.
Marca, a daily newspaper in Spain, quoted Garber as saying: "I understand that the lawyers of David Beckham are working to arrange a possible friendly way out with the white club because we would not be able to pay the buy-out clause. We want to have him as soon as possible and for this reason Galaxy and the league itself are going to do what is necessary to bring him as soon as possible. In addition, David wants to come soon."
The MLS season starts in April, and Galaxy coach Frank Yallop was quoted in British newspapers as saying the team would see if it can get Beckham earlier than August.
"We have to wait and see what the details of his Real Madrid contract are, and if he can get out of it," Yallop said. "Under normal circumstances he would join us in August, but we will see if he can come sooner."
Real Madrid coach Fabio Capello said Saturday that Beckham would no longer play in games now that he has committed to another club, and would only train with teammates. That leaves Beckham with the prospect of no competitive soccer for six months.
On Sunday, Capello criticized Beckham for signing with the Galaxy before informing the Madrid club.
"He signed his contract before he spoke with Madrid and for me that doesn't seem right," Capello said after Madrid's 1-0 home victory over Real Zaragoza, a game Beckham watched from a spectator box along with his mother, Sandra.
"If a player has a contract (with another club) it isn't right that you continue to treat him as just another player."
In an interview with Spain's Onda Cero radio, Real Madrid president Ramon Calderon also took issue with Beckham's conduct.
"We have been given the run around for the past two months," Calderon said. "We were never told that he had signed for another club, that he had the house bought and had everything ready to go. That, to me, is not right."
Oliveira said Beckham had made his intentions clear to club officials in a meeting before signing with the MLS club.
"We've done everything above board," Oliveira said. "We made our intentions clear to Real Madrid that David wasn't staying at the club before meeting with the Galaxy."
Beckham joined Madrid from Manchester United in 2003. The team hasn't won a single major trophy since, and the former England captain was mainly a substitute this season.