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Man Utd icon Beckham going to Madrid in $41 million deal

David Beckham has been the face of Manchester United for most of the past decade. Clive Brunskill/Getty Images

MADRID, Spain (AP) -- English soccer star David Beckham was traded to Real Madrid on Tuesday by Manchester United for a $41 million transfer fee.

The Premier League champions said the deal would be finalized in July.

"I recognize that this is an amazing opportunity for me at this stage in my career," Beckham said in a statement released through his agents. "I know that I will always regret it later in life if I had turned down the chance to play at another great club like Real Madrid, which also has world-class players."

The England captain and midfielder left London on Tuesday for a promotional tour of Japan, Vietnam, Malaysia and Thailand.

Beckham, a 13-year veteran with Manchester United, was benched during last season by team manager Sir Alex Ferguson. Beckham dismissed suggestions of a rift with Ferguson despite several publicized fallouts.

"I would like to publicly thank Sir Alex Ferguson for making me the player I am today," Beckham said in the statement.

Beckham appeared headed to Barcelona, Real Madrid's archrival, when Joan Laporta announced he reached a deal with United to transfer Beckham -- if Laporta was elected Barcelona team president. That reportedly was a $30 million deal.

But Beckham balked at joining Barcelona.

What They're Saying "The deal is expected to be completed in July, conditional upon approval by the boards of Manchester United and Real Madrid, and on the provision of satisfactory payment guarantees. David Beckham has agreed personal terms with Real Madrid and expects to sign his new contract with the club on completion." -- Manchester United "I would like to publicly thank Sir Alex Ferguson for making me the player I am today. I will always hold precious memories of my time at Manchester United and Old Trafford as well as the players, who I regard as part of my family, and the brilliant fans who have given me so much support over the years and continue to do so. I recognize that this is an amazing opportunity for me at this stage in my career and a unique and exciting experience for my family. I know that I will always regret it later in life if I had turned down the chance to play at another great club like Real Madrid, which also has world-class players." -- David Beckham "I've known David since he was 11 years of age, and it's been a pleasure to see him grow and develop into the player he has become. "David has been an integral part of all the successes that Manchester United have achieved in the last decade. I would like to wish him and his family every success in the future, and thank him for his service to the club." -- Alex Ferguson, Manchester United manager "While we are sad to see David go after so many great years at Old Trafford, we believe this is a good deal for the club, and we now look forward to building on the success of last season's championship title." -- Peter Kenyon , Man United chief executive "We are enchanted with the arrival of David, a strategic hiring that will contribute to turning us into a club and a team that is more competitive." -- Jorge Valdano, Real Madrid's sporting director "He is a complete midfield player, an excellent player. He is a soccer player whom it is not possible to limit to just one area of the field." -- Vicente Del Bosque, Real Madrid manager "David Beckham is a world-class player. I would love to welcome him here. Beckham is someone who has the respect of his fellow players because he has fantastic skill and is a true professional." -- Ronaldo, Real Madrid's World Soccer Player of the Year "Beckham's representatives presented an unscalable wall. Quite sadly, we've been aware of this news since early [Tuesday] evening." -- Joan Laporta, Barcelona president who lost his bid to sign Beckham: "It's awful that he's gone. I'm really upset. It's awful for Manchester. Beckham was the only glamor in the Manchester United team. I think the club has treated him terribly. Good luck to him." -- Manchester United fan Jane MacKenzie

Real Madrid, nine-time winner of the European Cup, already has several high-priced stars, including Brazil's Ronaldo, France's Zinedine Zidane, Portugal's Luis Figo and Spain's Raul Gonzalez.

"We are delighted with David's arrival, a strategic signing who will contribute to making us a more competitive club and team," Real Madrid sports director Jorge Valdano said on the team's Web site.

"Our relationship with Manchester United has been greatly strengthened by this agreement, although it has been David's firm and unflinching will to play for Madrid which has made this possible."

Beckham, married to former Spice Girl Victoria, is as much a cultural icon in Britain as he is a soccer player. His ever-evolving haircuts are mimicked by teenagers.

Beckham has helped Manchester United win six of its eight league titles in 11 years, and the European Champions Cup in 1999. He earned a reported $143,000 a week at Manchester United, the sport's richest club. His net worth is $79.5 million, according to a recent survey of Britain's richest people in The Sunday Times. That number includes endorsement and sponsorship deals.

Virtual monopoly

In the last three years Real has held a virtual monopoly on buying the world's best players.

Zidane, Figo and Ronaldo, all winners of the World Player of the Year award, have arrived at the Bernabeu for a combined transfer total of more than $160 million, with Beckham taking the outlay to more than $200 million.

The club won the Champions League, Europe's top trophy, in 2000 and '02 after selling its training ground to wipe out $240 million in debt.

But even the most star-studded team in the sport's history was not good enough this season as it was knocked out by Juventus in the semifinals after beating United in the quarters.

While Beckham's immense talent, particularly in delivering deadly crosses and finding the net with fizzing free kicks, will be a boon to Madrid, the Spanish club will also be delighted with the commercial opportunities afforded by one of the most marketable men in the world.

Beckham has been hugely popular at United, a club he joined as a schoolboy, but in the last few years his relationship with Ferguson has been strained.

Beckham,leads a high-profile celebrity lifestyle that has not always been appreciated by 61-year-old Ferguson.

The Scot kept Beckham on the bench for several high-profile matches towards the end of the season just finished, sparking the initial speculation that he would be moving overseas.

After United were knocked out of the FA Cup by Arsenal, a furious Ferguson kicked a boot in the changing room which cut Beckham over the eye.

United won the league title but their failure to repeat their Champions League success of 1999 has led Ferguson to re-evaluate his squad.

Big Buys High-profile Real Madrid transfers in past five years Year  Player  Cost  1999  Nicolas Anelka  $39 million   2000  Luis Figo  $62.3 million  2001  Zinedine Zidane  $77 million   2002  Ronaldo  $48 million  2003  David Beckham  $41.3 million  In U.S. dollars

He apparently decided that to bring in new blood -- Brazilian playmaker Ronaldinho is top of his shopping list -- he would have to raise funds via the sale of the club's most valuable commodity.

Immense talent

London-born Beckham has been at United since signing as a schoolboy and had two years remaining on a contract he signed a year ago.

Peter Kenyon, chief executive of Manchester United, said: "While we are sad to see David go after so many great years at Old Trafford, we believe this is a good deal for the club, and we now look forward to building on the success of last season's championship title."

He is the highest-profile English player to move overseas since Paul Gascoigne left Tottenham Hotspur for Italian club Lazio in 1992.

Very few British players have made a success of such a move. Former Liverpool midfielder Steve McManaman has helped Real to two Champions League titles but remains a regular on the substitutes' bench.

Other British players including Gary Lineker, Mark Hughes (both Barcelona), Ian Rush (Juventus) and Paul Ince (Inter Milan) failed to deliver their best form in new surroundings.

Under the terms of Tuesday's deal agreement, 7.5 million euros of the total fee will be paid by Real upon completion of the sale, and 17.5 million euros over the following four years in equal instalments."

The remaining 10 million euros is conditional upon Real Madrid's performances in the Champions League.

 

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Both the Associated Press and Reuters contributed to this report.