Despite a stress fracture in his back, David Beckham still had in it in him to win a Major League game for LA Galaxy by catching the goalkeeper off his line from a corner kick.

Beckham delivered a low-flying bending shot that bounced once before ending up in the Chicago Fire goal. The 2 – 1 win on Saturday extended Galaxy’s unbeaten run to 12 games.

“I saw the goalie cheating a little out of goal and saw a gap,” Beckham said. “I knew if I put it in area, it was going to  get a touch off somebody or go straight in. Luckily, it went straight in.”

Galaxy coach Bruce Arena almost couldn’t believe it.   “I don’t know how that went in,” he said. “That’s what we pay him the big money for.”

The former England captain said he was in pain due to his back the last few days, but woke up on game day feeling better than he had in a while.

“Personally, it was great. I didn’t expect to play 90 minutes.

With 25 minutes to go, I seemed to get a second wind,” said Beckham, adding that it’s the second goal that he’s scored from a corner in his career.

Source: timeslive.co.za

Pic: guardian.co.uk

Cruz (6) and Brooklyn (12) were both in attendance and appeared in high spirits as they watched their father’s LA Galaxy team thrash the Portland Timbers in a victorious 3-0 defeat at the Home Depot Center in Los Angeles.

Romeo was nowhere in site, but father-of-four Ramsay brought along his son Jack, who Brooklyn was spotted hugging in celebration as LA Galaxy scored.

The Beckhams and the Ramsays are close friends and even spent Christmas Day together, with celebrity chef Gordon no doubt cooking up a storm.

And it seems Gordon has perhaps been inspired over the years by image conscious David.

Earlier this year Ramsay was believed to have undergone hair transplant surgery.

He was spotted out in public the day following the procedure with a swollen face, where he was accompanied by fellow Brit David, 35.

Ramsay, who fronts a U.S. version of Kitchen Nightmares, has also had fillers in his face to iron out the lines around his chin over the year.

LA Galaxy’s win was thanks to Landon Donovan, who scored two goals, and set up a third for Chad Barrett.

Source: dailymail.co.uk

Tim Leiweke, president of the American sports and entertainment giant AEG that owns the Galaxy and is bidding in partnership with Spurs to take over the London 2012 Olympic stadium after the Games, told reporters the two sides were forging a strategic alliance.

“We have an existing relationship now with Tottenham where we are beginning to think outside the box on football and how we do things together on football,” he said in a conference call from Los Angeles.

“Whether that’s David Beckham training (with Spurs) or maybe players from Tottenham coming to the Galaxy, playing games against each other.

“Strategically you’ll see more of an alliance between us and Tottenham long term,” added Leiweke.

Former England captain Beckham, 35, has been training with north London side Tottenham but hopes of a short-term loan deal during the Major League Soccer (MLS) close season have come to nothing.

Leiweke said he wanted Beckham back in Los Angeles for the start of the season.

“I am the one that made the decision in asking David to come back and play a full season in MLS because we haven’t been able to do that, be it for loans or injury,” he said.

“Our commitment has been ‘David, you need to be back here for the MLS season that begins in March’.

“It is because we have asked for that commitment, and the timeline in Tottenham was such, that it was very difficult for them (Spurs) to figure out a way to integrate David into the team,” he added.

Leiweke said AEG had encouraged Beckham to go to Tottenham because of the relationship with Spurs chairman Daniel Levy.

“There are other examples of conversations we’ve had with Daniel in how to take that kind of cooperation and now extend it to our team in the United States,” he added.

“You are going to hear more about that in the future but part of what has been created here is a strategic alliance between AEG and Tottenham on thinking about how we can be involved in Tottenham the football club.”

Source + Pic: supersport.co.za

“I’ve got some great news to tell you all,” Beckham wrote. “Victoria and I are expecting our fourth child this summer. The boys are very excited about the arrival of a new brother or sister.”

The pair, who married in 1999 and whose celebrity is entrenched on both sides of the Atlantic, already have three boys: Brooklyn, 11, Romeo, 8, and Cruz, 5.

David Beckham has played 115 matches for England – a national record for an outfield player – and captained the team from 2000 to 2006. He played for Manchester United and Real Madrid before joining Major League Soccer club Los Angeles Galaxy in 2007.

The 35-year-old Beckham wants to play on loan in Europe in the hope of being recalled to the England team by manager Fabio Capello after having been dropped from the squad in August.

Beckham has previously spent two loan spells at AC Milan, the last of which in 2010 resulted in a five-month injury break after tearing his Achilles’ tendon, causing him to miss the World Cup and the MLS season.

Victoria Beckham, 36, found fame as a singer for 1990s girl band the Spice Girls and has since become a fixture of the fashion circuit.

The pair have parlayed their fame into lucrative sponsorship deals, clothing lines, and – for Victoria – a guest spot on “American Idol.”

Source: sport24.co.za

Former England captain Beckham had been strongly linked with a second loan spell with the Rossoneri to improve his chances of making Fabio Capello’s World Cup squad.

Milan vice-president Adriano Galliani claimed last week an announcement was imminent – and it has been confirmed on the club’s official website on Monday evening.

Beckham moved to the San Siro during Major League Soccer’s off-season last January, initially on a three-month loan deal, but impressed so much his stay was extended until the end of the Serie A campaign.

The 34-year-old returned to the Los Angeles Galaxy in the summer after helping Milan to fourth place in Serie A, with two goals in 18 league appearances.

Milan have announced a six-month deal on this occasion, meaning Beckham will remain in Italy up until the 2010 World Cup finals in South Africa.

AC Milan vice-president Adriano Galliani said on the club’s official website: “We are very happy to see again David Beckham with the Rossoneri jersey after the splendid experience of last season.

“We are certain that this time in Europe will help the player take part in the next World Cup and to continue after his career in Los Angeles Galaxy, to whom we thank for their time.”

His first Serie A game this season could be against Genoa at the San Siro on January 6.

Galliani continued: “We are confident his loan spell will not only improve Milan, it will help the player to take part in the World Cup in South Africa and continue to enhance his career in North America with the LA Galaxy.

“We would like to thank the Galaxy and MLS for their co-operation and understanding.”

A statement from LA Galaxy read: “We have today completed the loan agreement of midfielder David Beckham to AC Milan, effective in January.

“Beckham remains under contract to the Galaxy and will play for the club throughout the MLS Cup play-offs, which continue on Sunday.

“In accordance with team and league regulations, details of the loan agreement were not released.”

Galaxy head coach and general manager Bruce Arena said: “We are pleased to finalise David’s loan to AC Milan and we look forward to his return to the Galaxy after the 2010 World Cup,”

Following the conclusion of the MLS season, Beckham and the rest of the Galaxy will travel to Germany for the club’s 2009 post-season tour.

He will officially join AC Milan on December 28 and will remain with the club throughout their season, which ends on May 16, before rejoining the Galaxy when the summer transfer window opens in July 2010.

Beckham joined the Galaxy in January 2007, making his debut in a friendly against Chelsea in July of that year.

In three seasons with the club, he has appeared in 41 MLS games, scoring seven goals.

He missed the first half of the 2009 MLS season while on loan to Milan, but returned to the Galaxy in July.

Beckham is clearly looking ahead to the World Cup, which begins in South Africa on June 11.

He said: “I need to give myself the best chance possible to make the World Cup squad and playing for Milan on loan will help me to do that.

“I genuinely enjoyed my time at Milan and I look forward to meeting the players and staff again.

“I’m thankful to Tim Leiweke and Bruce Arena for allowing me this opportunity.

“I’m committed to LA Galaxy and MLS in the long term and remain as passionate as ever about growing the game of soccer in America.

“I’m completely focused on ending this season on a high note with my club by winning the MLS Cup.”

Source: teamtalk.com

Beckham passed Bobby Moore’s previous record of 108 caps when he came on as a half-time substitute in Saturday’s 4-0 friendly win over Slovakia. On his 109th appearance in an England shirt, Beckham proved his continued worth to the side, setting up Wayne Rooney with a cross for England’s second goal.

Beckham’s impressive cameo will have given coach Fabio Capello food for thought as the Italian prepares to pick his team to face Ukraine in Wednesday’s World Cup qualifier.

A win for England would cement their position on top of European qualifying group six and keep Capello’s team firmly on course to qualify for next year’s World Cup.

Capello started the Slovakia match with Tottenham winger Aaron Lennon on the right flank and his pace caused Slovakia problems at times. Beckham admits Lennon offers a different kind of threat and he is prepared to start on the bench if it helps England get a crucial victory.

“Aaron went past players like they weren’t there,” Beckham said. “With the pace he’s got, he’s in exceptional form for Tottenham, he deserved to start.

“Everyone wants to start for England, but at the end of the day, everyone also wants to play for England.

“Substitutes can be very important. We saw that at Manchester United in the 1999 Champions League final with Teddy Sheringham and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.

“Sometimes substitutes come on and can help secure a game, or change a game. I was happy with getting on and happy with the assist.

“It is what I have done for my whole career, and if I get a chance there are players like Wayne Rooney, Emile Heskey or Peter Crouch to get on the end of it.

“If I start, then I start. If I don’t, then I am part of the team – a good team which is going forwards.”

Although Beckham is now behind only goalkeeper Peter Shilton – who has 125 caps – in the all-time England appearance list, the former Manchester United star refuses to dwell on his own achievement because he is focused on Ukraine.

“I just got asked to do a picture with a shirt with 109 on the back but I did that for 100 and obviously it’s a big thing for me but I don’t think we should focus too much on that,” he said.

“But of course I just couldn’t wait to get on and couldn’t wait to get to that 109.

“I said during the week that when I equalled the record I got a note from Stephanie Moore (wife of the late Bobby Moore) saying ‘congratulations’ and Bobby would have been so proud.”

Shilton had complained that he is unhappy Beckham is racking up caps as a substitute, but the AC Milan player received great support from the Wembley crowd as he entered the pitch for the second half.

He insisted that there were no pre-match butterflies.

“I wasn’t nervous – if I’m still nervous playing football and playing at Wembley for England now it’s worrying,” he said.

Beckham reiterated that his time in Milan has played a big part in his continued renaissance in an England shirt.

“I knew and I’ve always known throughout my career that if I’m fit and in top shape then I can play to my best. Obviously Milan’s done that,” he said.

Source: soccernews.com

The future of the England international is reportedly close to being concluded, but AC Milan chief Adriani Galliani told the club’s official website: ”I have read that everything is resolved but that is not the case. The deal is not resolved.

”We are in fact working on the possibility that he remains on loan until June 30 but no agreement has been reached.”

On Monday, Galliani confirmed the club’s intention to sign Beckham, but revealed their idea was now to extend his loan until June – after which point he will return to LA Galaxy, and then in January he will join the club for free as he has a clause in his contract which allows him to leave the MLS in November.

“I hope I succeed in sorting it out that he stays until 30th June,” Galliani told the club’s television station. “After that he can go back to Los Angeles, before returning to us next January.

“That is what we are trying to do. It is complicated as we always knew it would be, but we are still trying.”

Galaxy have insisted that Beckham will return to the States on March 9, but the player has already publicly confirmed his desire to stay in Italy beyond his current loan agreement.

If his loan is extended he will rejoin the American side midway through the MLS season where he would have already missed 17 games and would then be free to transfer to Milan in the new year.

Milan are keen to sign Beckham to a permanent deal but are unwilling to pay £10 million – the valuation LA Galaxy have put on the midfielder – for the star who has impressed in Italy making nine Serie A starts and scoring twice.

Coach Carlo Ancelotti has also revealed he had no intention of playing Beckham when he showed up to train with the Rossoneri but was quickly won over by his work ethic.

”At the beginning he (Beckham) was set to train with us for two months and I didn’t think about playing him,” said Ancelotti in an interview with Foot Magazine. ”Then, I saw how he trained and I had no choice. We tried to get him four years earlier and two years ago but the negotiations faded away.

”I can say he is a great player. He has won me over with his performances and his character.”

Ancelotti believes the 33-year-old former Manchester United and Real Madrid star has improved with age and even said aspects of his game were better than former FIFA World Player of the Year Kaka.

”On the pitch, Beckham sees everything before everyone else,” said Ancelotti. ”His vision of play is better now than during his time in Manchester and in that respect, he has nothing to envy Kaka for.

”He is slower but much stronger tactically and technically. He is very intelligent and works a lot.”

Ancelotti followed up his praise for Beckham with criticism of Ronaldinho. The Brazil playmaker has failed to impress following his move from Barcelona with the Milan boss hinting he was not working hard enough on the training field.

”Players like him (Ronaldinho) base everything on talent,” said Ancelotti. ”I have coached many great players and the majority think they can make the difference just with talent. This is not true.

”In modern football if you don’t have good physical condition and work in training it’s difficult to shine in a game.”

Source: soccernet.espn.go.com

Pic: timeinc.net

Galaxy chief Tim Leiweke had described the offer for the 33-year-old former England captain as ridiculous but Galliani is playing hard-ball.

Speaking to the Gazzetta dello Sport on Saturday, he said there would be no compromise.

“Milan have made an offer that is fair for what is essentially an eight-month loan deal because, as Leiweke said himself, David can leave for nothing on November 30,” said Galliani.

“I don’t want to cause any problems, quite the contrary, I want to thank Galaxy for loaning us Beckham these last months.”

However, the reported three million dollars on the table will not be increased, despite Galaxy apparently holding out for a figure nearer 12 million dollars.

“Absolutely not. I have a lot of experience with regards the price of players,” added Galliani when asked if Milan would increase their bid.

“And from a point of view regarding the European parameters, there’s no sense in spending any more.

“In the States they look at the commercial aspect. But in Europe transfers are done for technical reasons.

“I’m already at the limit of the budget at my disposal.”

Gazzetta claims that the budget mentioned by Galliani includes not only the transfer fee but also the conditions of Beckham’s contract offer until June 2010.

Galliani’s comments will not be well received in Los Angeles after Leiweke told Gazzetta just 24 hours earlier that he was determined not to let Beckham go on the cheap.

“Two weeks ago Milan made a ridiculous offer that took me just a few seconds to reject,” he said of the reported three million dollar bid.

“With this figure Galaxy wouldn’t even be able to cover the loss in revenue from shirt sales.

“They (Milan) don’t understand that behind this affair there are fans who are threatening to give up their season tickets, there’s TV that needs to schedule which matches they will screen, sponsors who want compensation and other teams that have the right to know if Galaxy will play in their stadium with or without Beckham.

“And don’t forget that under normal circumstances our transfer window is closed. If David doesn’t come back, who are we going to replace him with?

“If Milan are so determined to buy him, why are they dragging this out for so long?

“If they think they’ll get him on the cheap that way, they’re wrong.”

Gazzetta, however, speculates on a possible solution to the impasse that would see Beckham stay on at Milan until the end of the season before returning to Galaxy in June.

He would then see out the rest of the season with Galaxy before returning to Milan until June 2010.

Beckham’s current loan deal at Milan is due to run out on March 9 while the Major League Soccer season kicks-off on March 22.

If Beckham was to follow Gazzetta’s proposal, he would be available for Galaxy’s June 6 clash with Toronto, having missed 11 MLS games from a 30-match regular season.

Depending on Galaxy’s league finish and qualifying for the play-offs, he would either be available to return to Milan in October or November.

Source: soccernews.com

Pic: brainfuel.tv

Major League Soccer said a deal had to be done by last Friday but Milan and Beckham’s advisors have virtually ignored the deadline and are confident the transfer can still take place.

“Up to March 9, I think there is time to find a solution,” Milan coach Carlo Ancelotti told reporters after Sunday’s 2-1 derby defeat by leaders Inter Milan.

Beckham has fought tough battles before and won.

He virtually took England to the 2002 World Cup single-handedly and forced Fabio Capello to bring him back into the title-winning Real Madrid side in 2007 after being dropped when he announced he would be leaving for LA Galaxy.

It looked unlikely two years ago that he would equal Bobby Moore’s England outfield caps record of 108 but he managed it in last week’s defeat by Spain having burst back on to the scene.

Beckham’s options are varied and it is unclear which road he will take, but he is very likely to end up at Milan.

His preference is for the clubs to agree a deal, which could take place outside of the transfer window because he is technically on loan at Milan until June.

Talks will take place this week but the two parties are poles part when it comes to a valuation.

“ALWAYS PROFESSIONAL”

Beckham has done well but Milan do not want to pay a lot for a 33-year-old, who will probably only be given an 18-month deal.

Various figures have been bandied about in the media after Milan’s opening offer of €5 million was turned down. Some reports have said Galaxy want around 12 million while Milan are only willing to go to 8 or even 10.

Another possibility is that Milan do a swap deal with one of their players or use their contacts to help Galaxy recruit another European name from elsewhere.

Milan defender Paolo Maldini is due to retire at the end of the season and having spent much of his recent leisure time in the U.S, it might not be unreasonable to speculate that he could be interested.

Beckham could buy out his Galaxy contract or use a get-out clause leave for free in November.

He is a very rich man but how much he would have to pay is confidential. Given the five-year deal he signed with Galaxy was worth around $250 million, it would not be a small sum.

Beckham is disillusioned by the standard of U.S. soccer but buying out his contract is not the image he wants to purvey.

“I’m always professional so we’ll have to wait and see when the final decision is made,” Beckham told reporters on Sunday when asked if he would go back to Galaxy if he had to.

“Talks have obviously been going on and on and everyone’s been talking about it,” he added with rolling eyes.

Milan must also be tired of the negotiations given they have come quickly after the Kaka saga, where Manchester City were willing to pay a world record fee of around €100 million before talks collapsed and the Brazilian said he would stay. Italian media pilloried City for their perceived lack of negotiating skills while the English club criticised Milan.

Rossoneri chief executive Adriano Galliani has said this time that Galaxy used the arbitrary MLS deadline as a “tactic”.

Whether Galaxy’s style has been seen as clever or naive, the idea of Beckham going back to Los Angeles in March and returning to Serie A at a later date is not appealing to Milan or Beckham.

He has become an integral part of the team and they do not want to lose him at the business end of the season, albeit with the club virtually out of the Serie A title race.

It would be risky too for Beckham, not least for his England prospects. Someone would also have to take his Milan place while he is gone and he could struggle to win back a starting spot, especially with Gennaro Gattuso coming back from a knee injury.

Beckham’s family, happy in LA, adds another variable to the complex tale but clarity should be achieved in the next few weeks.

Source: supersport.co.za

Pic: timesonline.co.uk

The Itallian Serie A club AC Milan are hopeful to lure David Beckham on a permanent basis from LA Galaxy according to Times Online.

Rumours even go as far as to suggest that Beckham may buy out the remainder of his contract at the Home Depot Center in order to secure a move to the Rossoneri.

The England midfielder is due to rejoin LA Galaxy in March after his loan deal is completed at Milan, but the 33-year-old has made such an impact in his first few games that the San Siro management are desperate to keep him in Milan.

The former England captain scored his first goal for AC Milan last week and would see the move as an ideal route back into the England squad under Fabio Capello.

“I can’t say what will happen. My contract says that I’ll be here until March. We’ll have to see,” said Beckham after Sunday’s 4-1 win at Bologna. “At the moment I’m enjoying this experience. I’m at one of the biggest clubs in the world.”

AC Milan boss Carlo Ancelotti and owner Silvio Berlusconi are both hopeful that Beckham will make the decision to move to Italy on a permanant basis.

Ancelotti promised “no pressure will be made” on the player but confirmed: “Our desire is that he continues with us.”

He added: “When March 9 comes and he returns to America that will sadden us because of the help he is giving his team in terms of quality of play and balance.”

“Beckham is a champion,” Berlusconi told Sportmediaset.it. “We will try and hold onto him.”

AC Milan club lawyer Leonadro Cantamessa has also spoken out over the proposed Beckham transfer, telling Sky Sports: “After March anything can happen, The situation is complicated and will depend on the player, but if there was a common interest, the English player could remain at Milan, but not on loan.”

Any move may hit a potential stumbling block however in the form of Beckhams wife Victoria Beckham, who is determined not to move back to a non-english speaking country.

Fabio Capello, the England manager, is expected to fly to Milan on Wednesday to watch Beckham play against Genoa and Beckham is hoping to be included in Capello’s squad for the friendly against Spain next month to equal Bobby Moore’s record of 108 international caps for an outfield player.

Source: soccernews.com

Pic: telegraph.co.uk