Take it or leave it

Barcelona wants response from Beckham

BARCELONA, Spain (AP) -- FC Barcelona's new president wants to know within the next few days whether English star David Beckham will accept the "fantastic offer" to join the Catalan club.

Joan Laporta, who faces strong competition from Real Madrid for the Manchester United midfielder, said he hopes to speak with the England captain or his agents soon.

"This week, at least, we want to begin discussions with the aim of arriving at an agreement," Laporta said Tuesday. "There is no deadline but we have to know who we can count on and who we can't. We hope that we will have a decision, a solution, in this matter this week."

Laporta swept to power Sunday after making Beckham's signing the centerpiece of his campaign platform.

Manchester United announced last week it had accepted a transfer bid from Barcelona -- reportedly worth up to 30 million pounds (US$48 million) -- for Beckham. The move was contingent on Laporta winning the election and Beckham agreeing to contract terms.

But Beckham's management company said the player was being used as a "political pawn" and had no plans to meet with Laporta or his aides. Real Madrid is now considered the favorite to sign Beckham.

Spain's leading sports daily, Marca, said Tuesday the deal with Real Madrid would be completed within 10 days.

Laporta said he was making a "fantastic offer for David Beckham to be a co-leader of our team."

But he said he realized Beckham was faced with a "very difficult decision."

"If Beckham doesn't come, we have other alternatives which are just as viable," Laporta said, without giving details. "If we can't get the player, we would be sad, but at the same time we have another solution."

Laporta's press secretary, Juan Jose Castillo, claimed Barcelona's offer was "more interesting than Madrid's."

"Madrid is full of stars," Castillo said. "But here we'll consider him more important. He's going to be the leader of our new project. If he considers that, then we're sure he'll come."

Barcelona has failed to qualify for next season's Champions Cup or UEFA Cup competitions. Real Madrid, the nine-time European champion, will be back in the Champions Cup.

Madrid's sports director, Jorge Valdano, said his club would not discuss Beckham until the Spanish season ends this weekend.

"My intention is not to be at war with Barcelona," he said.

National daily El Mundo said Madrid had offered 25 million euros (US$21.2 million) plus a player to United for Beckham.

Beckham, who has made no public comment since the Barcelona bid was accepted, is due to arrive in Japan on Wednesday at the start of a promotional tour which will also take him to Vietnam, Malaysia and Thailand.

Foreign media has been banned from his promotional events in Asia to shield the England soccer captain from constant questions about his expectant transfer from Manchester United.

Beckham, among the highest-profile sportsmen in the world, will arrive in Tokyo on Wednesday to film commercials and then embark on a flying trip to Vietnam, Malaysia and Thailand to do some promotional work for Castrol oil.

The public relations firm handling Beckham's appearance in Ho Chi Minh City on June 25 said that Beckham would be off limits to the foreign press, although local Vietnamese journalists might have some access.

"As of now, international journalists will not have access to David Beckham, but they can witness the event from the stands," said Nguyen Thanh Son, managing director of T&A Communications, told The Associated Press.

No cameras of any kind would be allowed into the stadium, said Son, adding that the same restrictions would likely apply in Kuala Lumpur and Bangkok.

A spokesman for the firm that is coordinating publicity for the three-nation southeast Asian tour said Beckham's agent, SFX, had imposed the blanket ban on non-local journalists attending the scheduled promotional events.

In Vietnam, a communist country of 80 million where soccer is the No. 1 sport and where few international celebrities make stops, Beckham's visit was being promoted by huge signs in Ho Chi Minh City nearly a month ago.

Beckham was expected to be accompanied by his wife Victoria, who was "Posh Spice" from the British pop group The Spice Girls.

The Beckhams are the biggest celebrities in England and the 28-year-old footballer has a legion of supporters throughout Asia, where young fans copy his various hairstyles and fashion.

His memorabilia is always in hot demand at Manchester United-dedicated shops in the region.

The movie "Bend it like Beckham" -- about a British girl of South Asian descent who used Beckham as inspiration to launch her soccer career despite the objections of her family -- became an international hit last year.

 

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