On Becks´ ed Ma´am
England captain David Beckham will be in glittering sporting company when he picks up his gong - with Liverpool boss Gerard Houllier and Arsenal’s Arsene Wenger beside him. Becks, 28, is to be given the honour by the Queen as a reward for his services to football, both on and off the pitch. And when he goes to Buckingham Palace to collect it, he will be joined by Frenchmen Houllier and Wenger, who are both in line for honorary OBEs. Last night a source close to Her Majesty’s top-secret birthday honours list - to be published on June 14 - said: “It’s a real soccer treble. This will delight millions of fans who support the three biggest clubs in the land.”
David Wooding, The Sun
It´s top gonging
There are plenty of footballers who live the high life and think they have made it before they have put a trophy on the table. Beckham never stops giving of his best for club and country. The celebrity scene has become an understandably unwanted distraction for those at United who now seek to sell him. But nobody at Old Trafford will forget what he has done for the club. And he will continue to give everything for England. He is a man whose next challenge always seems to be the greatest and one who is thoroughly deserving of an OBE.
Jimmy Greaves, The Sun
Going, going, gong: OBE Becks will get £32m Barca wages
David Beckham will pick up the Order of the Big Earner after being offered £32million to sign for Barcelona. That would make Becks, who will collect an OBE in the Queen´s Birthday honours this month, the world´s top-paid player. The mega-bucks package has been put together by Barcelona´s presidential hopeful Joan Laporta, who has verbally agreed a deal with Manchester United to buy Becks. To make sure he gets his man, Laporta is prepared to give Beckham £154,000 a week over four years.
Neil Custis, The Sun
Kluivert: Becks can be Barca´s new Cruyff
Patrick Kluivert insists David Beckham will become a true footballing legend if he moves to Barcelona. The Nou Camp´s Dutch striker wants his club to complete the £30million purchase of Manchester United´s England skipper. Club presidential candidate Joan Laporta is ready to announce he has agreed a deal to sign Becks if he is elected. And Kluivert admits his Holland strike partner Ruud van Nistelrooy has convinced him he would be the perfect team-mate. United hitman Van Nistelrooy believes Beckham plays in the style of a Dutchman. And Kluivert claims the midfielder, 28, would be as revered at Barca as the legendary Johan Cruyff. Kluivert said: " Van Nistelrooy always speaks very highly of Beckham. He says he has such a good understanding with him, he thinks he´s a Dutchman. Cruyff and Ronald Koeman are legends at Barcelona and I´m sure if Beckham comes he will take his place among the band of legends this club has produced."
Neil Custis, The Sun
Becks fury at slurs
David Beckham is furious his loyalty and commitment to Manchester United is being used as a tool to force him out of Old Trafford. Beckham is said to be " livid" at claims from senior sources at United that he is more concerned with self-promotion away from football and his role as England captain. Despite his celebrity status and love of the spotlight, Beckham has always prided himself on his professionalism and ability to balance both sides of his extraordinary life. Becks, currently on a working family holiday in America, has maintained a dignified silence throughout the speculation surrounding his future. But the 28-year-old is angry that senior figures at Old Trafford feel his off-field celebrity activities are now more important to him than United.
David McDonnell, Daily Mirror
Cold Trafford: Even Sir Bobby feels it might be time for Becks to exit
Manchester United have decided to sell David Beckham and there does not appear to be any going back on that decision. They will not be entering into any last-ditch bid to offer the England captain a new contract. And last night even Old Trafford legend Sir Bobby Charlton said financial considerations by the club´s plc board might lead to Beckham´s departure. Charlton, now a United director, said: " As a plc it is the duty of the club to its shareholders to consider any offer for a player - whoever that player is. If you ask me as a Manchester United man, ´do I want David Beckham to stay?´ then I would say ´yes´ because I always want to see the best players stay at the club. But obviously there are clubs from abroad who have an interest in David and it has to be taken into consideration by the plc."
Harry Harris and Rob Shepherd, Daily Express
Why they´re getting shirty over Becks
The Battle of the Brands - Nike versus adidas - is the amazing power game being played out between Barcelona and Real Madrid for the commercial pulling power and football prowess of David Beckham. Both Nike, Barca´s kit sponsors, and adidas, Beckham´s boot sponsors who also provide Real´s outfits, are playing key roles in attempting to influence the England skipper.
Harry Harris, Daily Express
Quiet man Stephens could bow out on a real high note
Tony Stephens is the man who will have the most influence on David Beckham outside of his wife Victoria and father Ted. There is much speculation that this might be 56-year-old Stephens´ last big deal, the final destination of Beckham, whether he stays at Old Trafford, takes up the option to go to Barcelona or decides on Real Madrid. Stephens has intimated that he will step down from full-time employment at the agency SFX, who handle Beckham´s on-field affairs.
Harry Harris, Daily Express
Zico tips Ron as top Red
Brazilian great Zico claims that Ronaldinho will become Manchester United´s star player. The World Cup-winning attacking midfielder from Paris St Germain has agreed to join United for £9million. And Zico insisted United´s first-ever Brazilian signing will prove a smash-hit at Old Trafford. He said: " Ronaldinho is a world-class player and is not afraid to take on responsibility in a game. If Manchester United use him well he will be their best player. But he has a free role on the pitch and that may be difficult for an English team to incorporate." Meanwhile, there were claims yesterday that Ronaldinho´s Brazil team-mate Roberto Carlos had stepped in to persuade him to join Real Madrid instead of United.
Dave Kidd, The Sun
Stay for £2m more
Ronaldinho has been offered a huge cut of his next transfer fee - if he turns down a move to Manchester United. Paris St Germain´s new president Francis Graille is determined to keep the 23-year-old Brazilian World Cup winner who´s the subject of a near-£10m bid by Manchester United. Under a clause in his contract, Ronaldinho is entitled to 20 per cent of the transfer - almost £2m.
Danny Fullbrook, Daily Star
Xabi: I´ll be next, Fergie
Spanish golden boy Xabi Alonso has begged Alex Ferguson to put his money where his mouth is and make his dream come true. Now Fergie has landed Ronaldinho, Alonso is praying he is next. Last week, the Manchester United boss was singing the praises of the Real Sociedad midfielder, saying he would love him at Old Trafford. And now Alonso, 21, admits the feeling is mutual. Alonso said: " Just thinking about playing for United gives me the shivers."
Phil Thomas, The Sun
Southgate will prove a bargain... even at 32
Gareth Southgate can give Manchester United the best years of his career and prove a bargain buy for the Champions League. That is the view of Viv Anderson, who was himself in his thirties when Sir Alex Ferguson brought him from Arsenal to Old Trafford. Mirror Sport revealed yesterday that the United manager is planning to follow up the capture of Brazilian World Cup star Ronaldinho with a £4million raid for Southgate, now 32. But while the move has raised eyebrows up and down the country, Anderson has no doubts that the Middlesbrough centre-back can prove that class is permanent. He said: " A lot of clubs were in for Gareth when he first came to Middlesbrough, even though he was almost 31. That gives you an indication of how highly he is rated. I think that move was a very logical next stage of his career. Now I think United is."
Darren Lewis, Daily Mirror
Quaresma: I´ll replace Becks
Ricardo Quaresma last night insisted he will still move to Old Trafford this summer - even after the £10m capture of Brazilian star Ronaldinho. Right-sided midfielder Quaresma, 19, valued at £10m, believes he can be a replacement for David Beckham who is set to leave United this summer.
John Cross, Daily Mirror
Neville learning from ´best´ Roy
Phil Neville has credited Manchester United team-mate Roy Keane as the key factor in his England revival. The 26-year-old was converted into a midfielder by Sir Alex Ferguson last season to great effect and playing next to Keane has proved a real education for him. Now Neville is back in the England team after being virtually ignored by Sven Goran Eriksson for the previous 12 months and is a near certainty to win his 40th cap in Wednesday´s vital European Championship qualifier with Slovakia at the Riverside Stadium. Neville said: " There is no doubt I´ve learnt a lot from Roy since I moved from being mainly a defender into a midfield position at United. It´s not just playing alongside him. It´s watching him every week. He is without doubt the best midfielder in Europe of the last five years. You can´t learn from anyone better."
Sports Reporter, Daily Express
Irish can bank on fully focused O´Shea
John O´Shea goes on duty today assured of a new £5million contract at Manchester United. But the bulk of the Republic of Ireland team face Albania with their futures clouded with uncertainty. O´Shea´s breakthrough, when he made 52 appearances last season, the same as David Beckham, has been rewarded with a five-year deal worth £25,000 a week. The versatile 22-year-old will sign the contract when he returns to Manchester after a summer break in Ireland.
Richard Tanner, Daily Express
Real do United again
Manchester United have lost their status as the world´s richest club. Even worse, United have been replaced on top of the money list by Real Madrid who knocked them out of the Champions League. In a survey by World Soccer magazine, Real head the list with a staggering annual income of £180m in 2001/02 - enough to buy United´s David Beckham six times over. United are a Beckham and a bit behind - with an income of £148.1m.
George Scott, Daily Star
It´s dye-abolical
Ryan Giggs’s regular hairdresser last night branded his new yellow barnet “a disaster”. Katie Fisher then sparked a “hair-dunnit” mystery when she insisted: “I didn’t do it.” The crimper, in her 20’s, has been styling the Manchester United ace’s jet black locks for years. But last night the riddle about who turned him into a lemonhead deepened when Katie said: “Honestly - it wasn’t me.” Katie said the first she knew about 29-year-old Ryan’s barmy dyed look was when she saw newspaper pictures of him. Katie, who runs Barnets salon in Worsley, near Manchester, said: “It’s a disaster for him."
Guy Patrick, The Sun
