Beckham confirms he is to join LA Galaxy in summer

Jan 11, 2007, 16:07 GMT

Real Madrid\'s David Beckham kicks the ball during their Champions League Group E soccer match against Olympique Lyon at the Gerland stadium in Lyon in this September 13, 2006 file photo. Beckham will leave Real Madrid at the end of the season and sign a five-year deal for MLS side Los Angeles Galaxy, he told Reuters on Thursday. REUTERS/Philippe Wojazer/Files

Madrid - Former England captain David Beckham confirmed Thursday that he will leave Real Madrid for the Los Angeles Galaxy in the summer.

'This week Real Madrid asked me to make a decision regarding my future and the offer to extend my contract for a further two seasons,' Beckham said in a statement.

'After discussing several options with my family and my advisors to either stay here in Madrid or join other major British and European teams I have decided to join LA Galaxy and play in the MLS from August this year.'

News reports said the 31-year-old Beckham had agreed a five-year contract that could be worth up to 250 million dollars, including image rights.

Earlier, Major League Soccer spokesman Dan Courtemanche confirmed that the Anschutz Entertainment Group (AEG), parent company of LA Galaxy, were talking with the Beckham camp.

'AEG, and specifically the Los Angeles Galaxy from MLS, are speaking to his representatives and I have seen the reports where clearly he is continuing his talks with Real Madrid and clubs throughout the world. But that is a question for David and his representatives,' Courtemanche was quoted as saying in British reports.

The news seem to put an end to to confusion around a statement from Real sports director Predrag Mijatovic who said in an interview with Sky Italia TV on Wednesday that Beckham's contract would not be renewed.

'Mijatovic was just stating a fact that the contract has not yet been renewed,' said Real's communications director Gaspar Rosety on Thursday.

Beckham was not a regular starter under new Real coach Fabio Capello, who is aiming to reshape the team which has won no trophy since Beckham arrived in 2003.

Along with Ronaldo he was not even nominated for the squad for a cup match at Real Betis later Thursday. Ronaldo is reportedly resigned to leave the club this month.

The Marca sports daily said on its website that Ronaldo 'cannot put up with more and understands that the best thing for him is to leave Real Madrid in the winter transfer market'.

The popular sports daily said that Ronaldo is sitting on two offers, one from Saudi Arabian club Al-Ittihad de Arabia - which would pay Real a transfer fee of around 7 million euros - and another offer for an unspecified European club.