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Quotes hide the truth Misleading statements surround Beckham movePosted: Wednesday June 18, 2003 12:45 PMLONDON (AP) -- If there's one message to come out of the David Beckham transfer saga, it's this: Don't believe what anybody says. After two months of denials or misleading statements from all parties, Manchester United sold Beckham to Real Madrid on Tuesday in a euro35 million (US$41.35 million) deal. Here's a look at some of the statements made over the course of the transfer negotiations: April 13: "We can categorically deny that any deal is in place to sell David Beckham to Real Madrid. David will be a Manchester United player next season." -- Manchester United statement. April 22: "As I've always said, never say never. Real Madrid have got a massive history about them, and they've got world class players." -- David Beckham. April 29: Real Madrid has "no intention whatsoever of negotiating the transfer" of Beckham. -- Real Madrid statement. April 30: "Never, never, never, never. Not now, not ever. We have not spoken about David Beckham. He has a contract with Manchester United. He is not even halfway through that contract. We are very happy with the players we have. That is the end of the matter." -- Real Madrid president Florentino Perez. "We'd never had any intention of selling Beckham." -- Manchester United chief executive Peter Kenyon. May 6: "I want to stay at United. My feelings for Manchester United, the club itself, the players, the fans and the back room staff, are as strong as ever. There's been lots of stuff in the media about me and my future, but I can honestly say that there has been no contact between either me or my adviser, with Real Madrid, or any other club." -- David Beckham. June 6: "We are very, very confident about our negotiation" for Beckham -- Barcelona presidential hopeful Joan Laporta. June 7: "Manchester United can confirm today that clubs from Italy and Spain have expressed a firm interest in signing Mr. Beckham." -- Manchester United statement. June 10: "Manchester United officials confirms that club officials have met Joan Laporta, the leading candidate for the Presidency of Barcelona. These meetings have resulted in an offer being made for the transfer of David Beckham to Barcelona." -- Manchester United statement. "David is very disappointed and surprised to learn of this statement and feels that he has been used as a political pawn in the Barcelona presidential elections." -- SFX, David Beckham's management company. June 11: "Our team needs a leader with the quality of David Beckham. Our club is interested in signing him and the city wants him to come." --Joan Laporta. June 15: "I did not promise to bring Beckham to Barcelona." -- Laporta, a day after being elected Barcelona president. June 17: "We are delighted with David's arrival, a strategic signing who will contribute to making us a more competitive club and team. 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." -- Real Madrid managing director Jorge Valdano announces Beckham transfer. "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. "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." -- Manchester United manager Alex Ferguson.
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