David Beckham is considering launching a takeover bid for
Spanish outfit Malaga which would make him the owner of the Primera Liga
club, according to reports.
Qatari billionaire Sheikh Abdullah Al-Thani took over the club two years ago but is apparently already looking to sell up.
The Los Angeles Times reports that Beckham is aiming to buy 75 per
cent of the shares in Malaga with Alexi Lalas, the LA Galaxy general
manager who brought Beckham to the MLS in 2007.
Despite initially ploughing money into the club, Al-Thani recently
sold star players Santi Cazorla and Jose Rondon in an attempt to fall in
line with the Financial Fair Play rules.
It was not enough to escape punishment from UEFA today, though, as
Malaga featured in the list of 23 clubs to have prize money withheld
after falling foul of the regulations.
Malaga has been forced to float shares due to mounting debts despite featuring in this season’s Champions League.
Beckham is familiar with Spanish football after spending four seasons
at Real Madrid before moving to the US to play for Los Angeles Galaxy.
He has played for Manchester United, Preston North End, Real Madrid,
Milan, and the England national team for which he holds the appearance
record for an outfield player.
Beckham’s career began when he signed a professional contract with
Manchester United, making his first-team debut in 1992 aged 17.
During his time at Old Trafford, United won the Premier League title
six times, the FA Cup twice, and the UEFA Champions League in 1999. He
left Manchester United to sign for Real Madrid in 2003, where he
remained for four seasons, clinching the La Liga championship in his
final season with the club.
In January 2007, it was announced that Beckham would leave Real
Madrid for the Major League Soccer club Los Angeles Galaxy, signing a
five-year contract with them on 1 July 2007.
While a Galaxy player, he spent two loan spells in Italy with Milan in 2009 and 2010.
On 20 November 2011, he joined an elite group of players to have won
three league titles in three different countries, when Los Angeles won
their third MLS Cup.
In international football, Beckham made his England debut on 1
September 1996, at the age of 21. He was made captain from 15 November
2000 until the 2006 FIFA World Cup finals, during which he played 58
times.
He earned a much-publicized hundredth cap against France on 26 March
2008 and became the all-time outfield player appearance record holder on
28 March 2009 when he surpassed Bobby Moore’s total of 108 caps.
With 115 career appearances to date, he has stated that he does not
intend to retire from international football. Having missed the 2010
World Cup through injury, Beckham has not played for England since 14
October 2009. He remains 10 caps short of the 125 caps won by goalkeeper
Peter Shilton – a record number of England caps for a player of any
position.
Beckham has twice been runner-up for FIFA World Player of the Year
and in 2004 was the world’s highest-paid footballer when taking into
account salary and advertising deals.
Beckham was the first British footballer to play 100 Champions League
matches.[5] He is third in the Premier League’s all-time time assist
provider chart, with 152 assists in 265 appearances.
When joining the MLS in 2007 he was given the highest player salary
in the league’s history, with his playing contract with the Galaxy over
the next three years being worth US$6.5m per year.
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