My tears for United
David Beckham was in floods of tears when he realised his Manchester United career was finally over. The England skipper sealed a £25million move to Spanish giants Real Madrid on Tuesday. But the midfielder admits he was heartbroken after United put him up for auction - and revealed his emotional personality comes from mother Sandra. Beckham, 28, said: " I get it from my mum. My dad´s sort of a man´s man but I´ve got more of my mum´s personality. She´s a lot softer, a lot more affectionate. We both get really emotional."
Neil Custis, The Sun
Becks can have my shirt
Ronaldo will welcome David Beckham to Real Madrid - by offering him the shirt off his back. Becks, 28, will link up with his big-name Bernabeu team-mates next month. But one of the biggest questions surrounding his £25million switch from Manchester United is what number will he take? So, last night, superstar striker Ronaldo went some way to solving the mystery. The Brazilian has worn the No11 jersey since he arrived from Inter Milan last summer - just weeks after winning the World Cup and the Golden Boot. But with Spanish striker Fernando Morientes out of favour and looking to leave Real, Ronaldo wants his No9 shirt - leaving Becks to take the No11.
Dave Kidd, The Sun
I´ve lost my mate
Rio Ferdinand last night started facing up to life without David Beckham and admitted: " I´ve lost my big pal." Manchester United defender Ferdinand is stunned at Becks´ departure to Real Madrid in a £25million transfer. The England star turned to his national skipper last summer when he was embroiled in his own megabucks switch to Old Trafford from Leeds. And Ferdinand insisted: " If someone had told me when I moved last year that David would be sold in 12 months I would have said ´no way´.
Shaun Custis, The Sun
Becks might get a kick
Roberto Carlos admits he faces a battle with David Beckham for the title of Real Madrid free-kick king. The Brazilian has been famous for his dead-ball heroics since a stunning banana bender against France in 1997. But the arrival of Becks, who has netted a string of crucial free-kicks for Manchester United and England, means there could be some argy-bargy in the queue to take set-pieces for Real. Carlos said: " I will let Beckham take free-kicks - but only some of them. He´s a free-kick specialist and he has scored some beautiful goals.
Dave Kidd, The Sun
Ruthless Reds alarm Kewell
Manchester United´s ruthless handling of David Beckham´s move to Real Madrid has blown any chance Alex Ferguson had of landing Harry Kewell. Leeds ace Kewell, 24, and his advisors are less than impressed by the way England´s captain was shunted out of Old Trafford and into the Bernabeu on a four-year deal worth £120,000 a week. Becks, 28, at one stage accused United of treating him ´like a piece of meat´ as they hawked him around Europe´s top clubs while he and wife Victoria were away in America. United manager Ferguson had earmarked Kewell as a prime target after pocketing the Beckham cash. But the saga has put the Aussie off making a £7million switch from Elland Road.
Sports staff, The Sun
Next stop Sven
England fear Sven Goran Eriksson could jump ship and join David Beckham at Real Madrid next summer. Although Eriksson is contracted to the FA until 2006, England insiders fear he will return to club management after the Euro 2004 finals. And the Real job could well be vacant at that time. Current coach Vicente Del Bosque is under pressure after failing to reach the European Cup final and Spanish sources believe he will be out if he falls short again next season.
Shaun Custis, The Sun
Barca bid to nick him
Barcelona have begged Ronaldinho to kick Manchester United into touch. Having missed out on David Beckham, they are desperate to land the Brazilian. Old Trafford boss Alex Ferguson was convinced Ronaldinho could have been an even bigger star at the club than Becks. He is five years younger than the England skipper and tipped by none other than Brazilian legend Pele to be the leader of his country for the next 10 years.
Shaun Custis, The Sun
Neville may be next
David Beckham´s best pal Gary Neville could follow him out of Manchester United. SunSport understands Neville´s place is under threat at Old Trafford next season - and he may have to leave to preserve his England spot. United boss Alex Ferguson left the defender out of his starting line-up at the end of last term. Fergie preferred Wes Brown at right-back and John O´Shea at left-back, with Mikael Silvestre and Rio Ferdinand in the middle. Neville may hold down a place - but only until Brown returns from a knee injury at Christmas.
Neil Custis, The Sun
Tim tops
Manchester United have completed their £1.5million swoop for US keeper Tim Howard - and were assured he is a star in the making. Howard, 24, has been linked with Old Trafford for the past six months but the deal was sorted yesterday after hush-hush talks. The NY-NJ MetroStars stopper, who has a Hungarian passport, will play against Turkey in the Confederations Cup in France tonight. He will be officially unveiled at Old Trafford next month and USA boss Bruce Arena is certain he will be a success. Arena said: " Tim is an outstanding athlete, a great shot-stopper and is very quick coming off his line. He´s got the full package."
Sports staff, The Sun
Gaz fired
David Beckham could make a sensational Real madrid debut against Paul Gascoigne. The England skipper will begin his Real career in a friendly against the China Dragons, a select side of players from the Chinese League, in Beijing on August 2. Former England maestro Gazza is still under contract with Chinese side Gansu Tianma - leading to the possibility of the head-to-head with the man who took over his crown as the nation´s most famous footballer.
Sports staff, The Sun
Beckham forced out by Fergie
Manchester United were last night accused of driving David Beckham out of Old Trafford and into the arms of Real Madrid against his wishes. Real officials claimed they had no intention of signing Beckham until the England skipper was frozen out and told by Sir Alex Ferguson that he had no future at the club. Beckham was forced out at United after a series of bust-ups with manager Ferguson, who felt his midfield star had become more concerned with raising his celebrity profile than playing football.
David McDonnell, Daily Mirror
Becks is the best in the world...and we´ll make him better
David Beckham will establish himself as the complete player at Real Madrid and prove to Sir Alex Ferguson that there is life after Manchester United. That is the view of the Spanish club´s sporting director Jorge Valdano, who believes the best years of Beckham´s glittering career will come in the lily-white strip of Real, rather than the red of United. Valdano should know. A member of Argentina´s World Cup-winning side of 1986, where he figured alongside Diego Maradona, he has played with the best and now works with the best in his role at the world´s most glamorous and successful club. And the man who played a central role in Beckham´s £25m move to the Bernabeu believes the England skipper will make United and Ferguson sorry they let him go. " In David Beckham, we have bought the best available player in the world right now," said Valdano.
David McDonnell, Daily Mirror
Real of fortune
David Beckham is putting his reputation on the line, swapping the comfort zone of Manchester United´s Theatre of Dreams for the Bernabeu bullring. Beckham cannot rely on past performances for club or country to win over the demanding Madrilenos, who will scrutinise his every movement. Staring up at the forbidding tiers of one of the game´s great amphitheatres will remind Beckham there is no hiding place when you join the biggest club in the world, especially with a £25million price-tag. Yet while Beckham risks the collapse of the mystique surrounding him on his journey into La Liga, it is the man who sold him who has everything to lose. In deciding he can dispense with Beckham, Ferguson has taken the biggest gamble of his long career.
Martin Lipton, Daily Mirror
Sir Alex close to tying up Cup hero
Manchester United last night moved a step closer to landing Brazilian World Cup-winner Ronaldinho and filling the void left by David Beckham´s departure. Old Trafford chief executive Peter Kenyon met officials from Ronaldinho´s club, Paris St Germain, in London last night in a bid to rush through the £10million transfer. United are aware that Barcelona, having lost out to bitter rivals Real Madrid in their bid to land Beckham, have switched their attention to Ronaldinho as their major summer signing. But United boss Sir Alex Ferguson is determined to capture the 23-year-old playmaker, and the Premiership champions hope to conclude a deal quickly to head off any hijack threat from Barca.
David McDonnell, Daily Mirror
Keane: I´ll miss him
Skipper Roy Keane last night admitted he will miss David Beckham but insists life at Old Trafford will go on. Real Madrid and Beckham ended weeks of speculation on Monday by confirming that the England captain had agreed a four-year deal with the Spanish club. Beckham won six Premiership winners medals during his time at Manchester United, where he played alongside Keane at the heart of the midfield. Keane said: " He´s a good lad but over the years a lot of great players have left United."
Alan Nixon, Daily Mirror
I´m choked, says Beckham´s dad Ted
For David Beckham last night it was a tale of two dads. His father Ted said he was " choked" his son was " being forced to leave" Manchester United. But his faher-in-law Tony Adams said the family couldn´t wait to move the Spanish sunshine. Ted, who earlier said that David wanted to see out his Old Trafford contract, revealed his torment and added: " I´m really not very happy. As you know I am a big fan of Manchester United and I´m not pleased he´s going."
Brian Roberts and Stephen White, Daily Mirror
Ron set to kick Fergie into touch
Ronaldinho is set to ditch Manchester United in favour of Barcelona. Having missed out on David Beckham, new president Joan Laporta knows he must not fail in the chase for the Brazilian superstar. The Spaniards have already made two offers to the striker. And the World Cup winner has told Barca if they come back with a third improved deal, he will sign on at the Nou Camp.
Shaun Custis, The Sun
Who made £3m from Becks deal?
Real Madrid paid out a shock £3million in commission to ensure their fierce rivals Barcelona failed to win the race for David Beckham. The staggering payment would constitute a world record for those involved in the £25m transfer. The amount Real have been prepared to pay to an assortment of middlemen can be contrasted with the £1.75m paid to Rune Hauge for the £30m Rio Ferdinand move from Leeds to Manchester United that raised eyebrows just a year ago.
Harry Harris, Daily Express
Put your shirt on Rio becoming the new focus of attention
So who fills the void as the face of Manchester United? While United merchandising income will not be affected by the departure of David Beckham to Real Madrid under terms of their deal with Nike, the club still need an identifiable commercial icon. Although Sir Alex Ferguson has yet again proved no individual can become bigger than the club by deciding to sell Beckham, it is still beneficial to have a charismatic celebrity to help drive the business.
Rob Shepherd, Daily Express
