David Beckham is set to become the second highest-paid sportsman in the US after signing a five-year contract worth up to US$250 million with Major League Soccer side Los Angeles Galaxy.
The former England captain ended months of speculation on Thursday by announcing that his largely unhappy three-year spell at Real Madrid will end in the summer, a move that signals the end of Beckham's career in top-flight soccer and any lingering ambition to regain the England place he lost when Steve McClaren replaced Sven-Goran Eriksson as head coach of the national side last summer.
The blow will be softened, however, by a weekly income of ?500,000 (US$969,000), comprised of salary, image rights and associated sponsorship, and the challenge of establishing the Beckham brand in a country that has thus far been largely unmoved by the rest of the world's favorite game.
Beckham turned down offers from leading clubs in Britain and Italy as well as a new two-year contract with Madrid to move to the US, but claimed last night that he was not motivated by money.
"I don't want to go out to America at 34 years old and people be turning round saying, `Well he's only going there to get the money,'" he said. "I've enjoyed my time in Spain, it's been an incredible experience for me and the family. But I think another challenge has come up and I think it's the right time for us to do it."
Beckham's move is co-funded by Anschutz Entertainment Group (AEG), which owns LA Galaxy and the Millennium Dome in London and has a stake in Beckham's soccer academies in the UK and US, and Major League Soccer, which will use the Englishman's presence to promote the game in the US. It will also be popular with several of his sponsors, including Gillette and Pepsi, both US companies.
Intriguingly, Beckham's debut for LA Galaxy could come against current English champions Chelsea, who considered signing him last summer. The London club have a commercial agreement with AEG and are likely to meet one of their clubs on a pre-season tour.
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