By Alex Baker
Speculations have been rife but few details have been forthcoming since David Beckham announced last week that he’d be leaving the LA Galaxy following the 2012 MLS Final on Dec. 1. Free-spending Ligue 1 outfit Paris St. Germain had been the last high-profile club linked to the former England midfielder.
But that was one year ago and this time around PSG coach Carlo Ancelotti has been quick to quash any rumors about Golden Balls coming to the City of Light.
“Beckham? We have not made an offer,” said the former Milan coach to the French sports daily L’Equipe last week.
Earlier this months rumors were circulating that Beckham would be taking a loan deal Down Under with an Australian A-League side, possibly Melbourne Hearts or Adelaide United. Beckham is as big in Australia as he is anywhere else, thanks in part to high profile exhibition games played by the Galaxy in the past couple years.
Having already secured the services of former Juventus strike Alessandro Del Piero, the A-League has been taking recent strides to better establish itself on the world football stage.
However in this case it was Beckham’s camp who did the rumor quelling, with the player’s representatives stating he had “absolutely no plans to play in Australia.”
Whatever the destination for what the former Manchester United man has called the final challenge of his playing career, it’s likely that the money will be huge. The International Business Times has reported that Beckham is in the running for a $12 million dollar deal that at the advanced age (in football terms) of 37, could make him the highest paid player in the world.
With his generally successful six-year run in the MLS coming to end and the transfer window set to open shortly thereafter, a host of other club names are being bandied about in relation to Beckham; including yet-to-emerge MLSers New York Cosmos, Shanghai Shenhua in China, Brazilian outfit Botafogo, South African side Kaiser Chiefs, and even West Ham United in the EPL.
Speaking to reporters earlier this week, Beckham stated, “I still feel I have something left in me as a player. I still feel like I have one more challenge in me as a player, even at 37 years old. I feel I can still play at a high level. Where that will be yet, I haven’t decided.”
With seven goals and five assists for the Galaxy this season on the run up to a second consecutive appearance in the MLS Cup Finals, Beckham does appear to be a player who’s still got something to offer.
As to the question of where that will be, we’ll have to wait and see.
