BECKHAM? YOU CAN HAVE HIM

With David Beckham playing an ever more peripheral role and the stalemate over his contract extension at the Santiago Bernabéu still unbroken, a Real Madrid board member has said that the club would prefer the former England captain to leave, describing his continued presence as “a ticking timebomb”.

The Spanish football magazine Don Balon quoted an anonymous board member as asking:

“Why would we spend [£16m] over the next two years for a player that we know that coach does not like?

“Capello doesn't want him and he cannot continue like this, spending so much time on the bench, because he would lose part of those multi-million publicity contracts. Nor is it good for Real to have a timebomb ticking by having such a world famous player as Beckham on the bench.

“Capello prefers a different type of player and everyone at the club would be relieved if Beckham took the decision to leave for America - that way nobody could throw in Calderon's face that he was the one who got rid of an icon like Beckham.

“We cannot admit it publicly but the best thing now for both parties is for Beckham to leave,” he added.