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Beckham bid rebuffed Man United's Ferguson rejects inquiry, says AC Milan
MILAN (Reuters) -- Manchester United manager Alex Ferguson has told AC Milan that England winger David Beckham is not for sale, according to the Italian club's vice-president. Adriano Galliani admitted there had been contact with United over Beckham, although United chairman Martin Edwards said that there had been no discussions between the clubs. Quoted on AC Milan's official Web site, Galliani said: "I don't wish to delude any of our fans about the imminent arrival of big name players when we haven't tabled any negotiations. "Yesterday evening our director general Ariedo Braida spoke to the Manchester United manager Alex Ferguson who declared definitively that the player was not for sale. "There is, therefore, no route to Beckham." United, however, insisted that the English champions had not been contacted by the Serie A club. "Mr. Edwards has not been approached by AC Milan about David Beckham," a club spokeswoman said. Milan officials recently said they aimed to bring "one of the five top players in the world" to the club, fuelling media speculation that club president Silvio Berlusconi was putting together a huge bid to bring Beckham to Milan. "We will do everything to complete the signing of one of those who can make the difference," Berlusconi told the Italian radio station RTL earlier on Friday. Asked if the player he was interested in was Beckham he replied: "Beckham and others." Britain's Sun and Mirror tabloid newspapers reported the same day that Milan were ready to break the world transfer record with a 40 million pound ($60.18 million) bid for Beckham. The Sun added that Berlusconi was also prepared to pay Beckham 120,000 pounds ($180,500) a week, translating as five times what he is currently paid at United. CriticismBerlusconi has faced criticism in recent weeks from Milan supporters for his lack of action in the transfer market and with the other major title contenders in Italy spending heavily he has been put under pressure to produce a big name. On Tuesday, Serie A champions Lazio broke the world transfer record when they bought Argentine Hernan Crespo from Parma for 110 billion lire (US$53.22 million). Italian newspapers, searching for Milan's next big signing, have also linked the club with Brazilian Rivaldo and his Barcelona team mate and Portugal international Luis Figo. Beckham has been the focus of transfer speculation in Italy since his reported disagreement with Ferguson last season when Inter Milan were then reported to be keen to bring him to Italy. The Italian media has also speculated that Beckham's wife Victoria, a member of the Spice Girls pop group is enthusiastic to move to Milan. There have been suggestions that Berlusconi, who owns three national television channels in Italy, will offer her work in the Italian media as part of a deal. A headline in the daily Gazzetta dello Sport on Friday read "Beckham to Milan for Victoria" and suggested the singer and model was tired of the abuse she and her family have received from English supporters. Report: Edwards may quit MondayLONDON -- Martin Edwards, chief executive of Manchester United Plc, may step down from the top job at Britain's richest soccer club on Monday, according to a report on the club's Web site. Edwards had been expected to leave in September, but the Web site on Friday cited "various sources" saying the move had been brought forward to allow his successor, Peter Kenyon, time to settle in before the new season began. No one from the English Premier League champions was immediately available to comment. The departure of Edwards -- who has a 6.58 percent stake in the club -- will mark an end to four decades of family control. Since he took over from his father in 1980, he has made Manchester United, with a stock market capitalization of 927 million pounds (US$1.39 billion), one of the world's most successful clubs on and off the field.
Copyright 2003 Reuters Limited. All rights reserved.
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