Manchester United Ready to Accept Barcelona Bid for Beckham

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Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Wednesday, June 11, 2003

Manchester United Ready to Accept Barcelona Bid for Beckham

English champions Manchester United announced on Tuesday they were ready to accept a bid from Barcelona for England captain David Beckham.

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English champions Manchester United announced on Tuesday they were ready to accept a bid from Barcelona for England captain David Beckham.

The unspecified offer followed a meeting between United officials and Joan Laporta, one of the candidates to become Barcelona's club president in Sunday's elections.

Around 95,000 Barcelona club members have the right to choose the new president, with most of the six candidates making eye-catching promises of what they will deliver when in office.

The bid is subject to Laporta winning the presidential race and to midfielder Beckham, English soccer's most famous player, agreeing terms with the Spanish club.

The 28-year-old is reported to earn 100,000 pounds ($165,000) a week after signing a contract with United in May 2002 taking him up to June 2005.

Beckham's transfer would almost certainly top the British record of 30 million pounds, paid to Leeds United by Manchester United for defender Rio Ferdinand in July 2002.

"Manchester United confirms that club officials have met Joan Laporta, the leading candidate for the presidency of Barcelona," a United statement said.

"These meetings have resulted in an offer being made for the transfer of David Beckham to Barcelona.

"This offer is subject to a number of conditions and critically to both Mr Laporta being elected president on June 15 and Barcelona subsequently reaching agreement with David Beckham on his personal contract.

"Manchester United confirms that in the event that all of the conditions are fulfilled then the offer would be acceptable."

BECKHAM UNHAPPY

However, Beckham was said by his agent to be unhappy with the latest developments.

His representatives SFX issued a statement on Tuesday saying: "David is very disappointed and surprised to learn of this statement (from United) and feels he is being used as a political pawn in the Barcelona presidential elections.

"David's advisors have no plan to meet Mr Laporta or his representatives."

Midfielder Beckham, who has been linked with a number of top Spanish and Italian clubs, is currently in the United States.

Laporta's bid to become Barcelona president has gained support in recent weeks, but advertising executive Lluis Bassat was favourite to win before Tuesday's news.

However, Laporta said later on Tuesday the Beckham deal could still go ahead even if he fails to win the presidential race.

"We will put the deal at the disposition of whoever emerges as president," Laporta said in a news conference in Barcelona.

"This is not an electoral issue and that is why we are making the transfer available to the club.

"This is an important transfer for the club, the city and its people.

"I'm confident that things are on course.

"The first thing was to comply with FIFA rules that insist on an agreement with the club. That's what we've got to. We'll now talk to the player."

Beckham, on holiday in the United States until Friday, hinted for the first time on Tuesday he could be ready to leave United, the club he has played for since signing as a trainee.

"I am a Manchester United player...as long as they want me, then I'll stay," he told the Los Angeles Times newspaper.

"I have never said that I'd never move away from Manchester and I have never said that I'd end my career there."

Newly-crowned European champions AC Milan and Real Madrid, the only club in the world to rival Manchester United's fame, are also reported to be interested in Beckham.

But AC Milan president, Italian premier Silvio Berlusconi, poured cold water on the reports on Monday, saying his club had better things to spend their money on than Beckham.

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