Beckham going to Madrid?

SpencerH · June 11, 2003, 08:56

Is Sir Alex on drugs or what! This isnt like transferring an aging/injured Gazza.

Madness

reds4ever · June 11, 2003, 09:01

Man U have really sold Beckham down the river, even if he turns down Barca (which I think he will) the postion id pretty much untennable. They shouldv'e at least imformed the player first that they had accpted an offer before going public, the bidder isn't even president of a football club as it stands at the moment!!

FrustratedPoet · June 11, 2003, 09:14

There's no way he's going to Barca. It simply wouldn't make any sense for either Beckham or the catalans for him to go there. If Barca want to build a team to get themselves back in the Champions League then they are better ways to spend £30million.

I expect Becks to go to Madrid, and I think it will be a good move for both teams. £30million is a gigantic amount of money given the slump in the transfer market over the past year. If (IF) United get Ronaldinho he'll only cost them 9-12 million. They could get 3 world class players with the money they get from Beckham - players they desperately need (another Striker and a Goalie being the most important).

I think that playing in Madrid would make Beckham a better player, because of being surrounded by so many other awesome players and the experience of the continental game. Such a transfer could only be good for England, IMHO. That's assuming that Beckham is actually good enough to get in the Real team...

ottok · June 11, 2003, 09:15

Joke? but Atletico/real?

FrustratedPoet · June 11, 2003, 09:18

ottok sighting! *waves*

He means Real Madrid.

No, it isn't a joke. The transfer isn't certain yet, but it looks very possible. The BBC website has several news items about it in the sport section.

reds4ever · June 11, 2003, 09:41

The way they 've played it, United are going to have trouble on their hands if he doesn't go SOMEWHERE

FrustratedPoet · June 11, 2003, 09:45

Agreed.

Giancarlo · June 11, 2003, 09:48

Hmm... considering Real Madrid is my favorite team.. I will keep a close eye on this...

Daz · June 11, 2003, 10:01

But really, Real Madrid actually doesnt need Beckham. Only if Figo was about to leave, which is not likely...

alva · June 11, 2003, 10:02

Are any of these Spanish clubs ever even gonna try to get out of debt btw?

I really hope he stays with Man U though, somehow it fits and in general not too many english players have been succesfull in Spain either.

FrustratedPoet · June 11, 2003, 10:03

Of course what they really need is defenders. But Real Madrid haven't had any defenders on their squad for about a decade so I don't see why they'd start now.

Zopperoni · June 11, 2003, 10:53

How much is Real offering Man Utd for him?

FrustratedPoet · June 11, 2003, 11:04

The figure being thrown about in the media is always around £30million. A couple of months ago people were talking about a player+cash deal involving Figo, but I haven't heard that mentioned for a while now. Can't see it happening.
It's impossible to tell what's REALLY going on, of course, since the Machiavellian politics of setting up a transfer like this is bound to obscure most of the juicy information.

Zopperoni · June 11, 2003, 11:14

I see, thanks, FP.

If I may compare this to the Zidane transfer, Juventus bought three very good players (Buffon, Thuram, and Nedved) for the money it got from Zidane.
If Ferguson and Man Utd have something similar in mind, it could be a good move (for both parties).

reds4ever · June 11, 2003, 11:36

If I was negotiating for Madrid, I'd wait until Beckham had turned down Barca, find out what Barca bid, and bid less. Because if MANU were willing to accept (say) 30M for a player who WASN"T disillusioned, unsettled and unmotivated at the club, they'll accept less now that he is!

alva · June 11, 2003, 11:43

On the news they (bbc) said the bid now has gone up to €35 mil.
That's the Barca offering btw

Tolls · June 11, 2003, 11:43

Beckham has said he wants nothing to do with a move to Barcelona, according to the Grauniad:

http://football.guardian.co.uk/News_...974864,00.html

reds4ever · June 11, 2003, 12:01

Quote:

Originally posted by alva
On the news they (bbc) said the bid now has gone up to €35 mil.
That's the Barca offering btw

Barca can offer as much as they like, if Beckhams doesn't want to go the deals dead. My tip is he goes to Madrid for less than Barcas offer

Zopperoni · June 11, 2003, 14:03

Barca doesn't have money o_O

FrustratedPoet · June 11, 2003, 14:11

Nor a place in the Champions' League for next season. They're crazy to try and buy Beckham and they won't be successful - even if Laporta does win the election.

Drogue · June 11, 2003, 14:29

I thought Madrid offered 35 Mill and ALex said he wanted 55? If he is going to Barca for 30 Mill then I'm sure that's less than Real were talking about.

SpencerH · June 11, 2003, 14:34

What if Beckham says he doesnt want to leave? Who's more important for MU fans, Sir Alex or Beckham? One will have got to go since I cant see Beckham sitting on the bench for a year. The fans'd be rabid.

Drogue · June 11, 2003, 14:45

I think Beckham will go though. His contract runs out in a couple of years, that's the longest he could stay for.

FrustratedPoet · June 11, 2003, 17:07

Quote:

Originally posted by SpencerH
Who's more important for MU fans, Sir Alex or Beckham?

I'm not a United fan myself, but I'm pretty sure the answer to that is Sir Alex.

ottok · June 12, 2003, 03:14

UGH! all to same to mee... But?

Urban Ranger · June 12, 2003, 03:21

Why would anybody wants to pay that much for Beckham anyway? He's not that great.

FrustratedPoet · June 12, 2003, 04:54

No he isn't.

The reason he's so valuable however (rather than great) is because the merchandising and marketing opportunities he brings to a club are huge.
Real Madrid and Barca already sell 100 Billion replica shirts each year - if they bought Beckham they'd sell an additional 100 Billion with his name on the back.

MikeH · June 12, 2003, 05:05

They don't sell many in Asia though, buying Becks would solve that problem.

ManU will always sell shirts in Asia, Becks or no.

FrustratedPoet · June 12, 2003, 06:50

Another thing to bear in mind is that Beckham is now 28 years old and that his contract runs out in 2 years.

How much will he be worth when he's 30? 31? Will he leave United for free in two years anyway?

If United can get 30+ million pounds for him they would be foolish to turn it down.

alva · June 12, 2003, 07:48

Players do play longer then they used to do though, so age certainly isn't a problem ATM.
He still has 2 years on his current contract.
Might boil down to what posh wants