David Beckham was to begin training with Tottenham yesterday and the club hopes a loan deal with the Los Angeles Galaxy can still be finalized.
Beckham wanted to play for Spurs for two months during the MLS offseason, despite the Galaxy’s reluctance to allow its star to risk another serious injury.
The former England captain injured his Achilles’ tendon while at AC Milan in March last year and was out until September.
Tottenham manager Harry Redknapp said on Sunday morning that a loan was not possible after it became “all too complicated with the insurance issues” and a statement stated that Beckham would instead only train with the club.
However, Redknapp later backtracked by indicating that a deal could still be reached that would allow the midfielder to play in the Premier League for the first time since 2003 when he left Manchester United for Real Madrid.
“Hopefully it could still happen. The situation is ongoing,” Redknapp said after Tottenham beat Charlton 3-0 in the FA Cup. “I was led to believe that insurance was a problem, but apparently that’s not the case.”
A person familiar with the situation said Tottenham and the Galaxy couldn’t reach an agreement over the payment of Beckham’s salary and stressed that image rights weren’t an issue. The person spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss details of the negotiations.
The Galaxy had been reluctant to allow Beckham to go to Europe during a third consecutive MLS offseason, because of concern he may get injured.
Beckham’s announcement last month that he was seeking another loan to Europe took the Galaxy by surprise.
The team issued a statement through the AP within hours of Beckham’s comments emerging last month saying that it expected him back in training more than a month before the March 15 season opener at the Seattle Sounders.
On Sunday, Redknapp reflected that by saying: “They wanted him back in early February so that made it difficult to do a playing deal on the basis of three weeks.”
Even if Beckham doesn’t play, Redknapp said the player can still help his squad as they prepare for a Champions League knockout matchup with Beckham’s former club AC Milan and continue their push for a second straight top-four finish in the Premier League.
“He will be a great influence around the place and I am sure we will all benefit from his winning mentality,” Redknapp said. “I think everyone will enjoy having him here. We’d love to have him here for longer, but respect his commitments to LA Galaxy.”
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