- Title: SPAIN: REAL MADRID SAY THEY WILL NEVER SIGN ENGLAND CAPTAIN DAVID BECKHAM
- Date: 30th April 2003
- Summary: MADRID, SPAIN (APRIL 30, 2003) (REUTERS) 1. REAL MADRID PLAYERS JOGGING 2. ZINEDINE ZIDANE WARMING UP 3. STEVE MCMANAMAN WARMING UP 4. BRAZILIAN DEFENDER ROBERTO CARLOS 5. VARIOUS OF PLAYERS TRAINING 6. FANS WATCHING TRAINING 7. MCMANAMAN ENTERING PRESS CONFERENCE 8. (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) REAL MADRID PLAYER STEVE MCMANAMAN SAYING: "What else can I say? Real Madrid says no. Manchester United says no and I think it is better to forget it. We can talk again at the end of the season because now there are more important things to talk about than of the Beckham situation. We have two very important matches next week and I think it is better to talk about football than of possible deals to sign players." 9. JOURNALISTS AT NEWS CONFERENCE 10. (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) MACMANAMAN SAYING: "It is difficult because Real Madrid issued a statement that was in every English newspaper this morning. It is also difficult to talk only about rumours, at the moment they talk too much but only about rumours. I do not want to talk about the situation any more." 11. JOURNALISTS 12. (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) MACMANAMAN SAYING: "The other day, an English newspaper came to my place to ask my wife about it (friendship with Victoria Beckham) and that is it. English newspapers are writing a lot about the David Beckham situation and they also write a lot of lies. My wife does not even know Victoria Beckham. "No (I haven't talk to him). After the match (Real Madrid-Manchester United) he said goodbye to me but nothing about the situation with Real Madrid." 13. JOURNALISTS 14. (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) MCMANAMAN SAYING: "For me Juventus are the best Italian team. Juventus have eight points more than the team that it is in second place. They are very strong in the Italian league but I am not sure they are the easiest team for us in the Champions League. I do not know." 15. WIDE OF NEWS CONFERENCE ROOM Initials Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved
- Embargoed: 15th May 2003 13:00
- Keywords:
- Location: MADRID, SPAIN
- Country: Spain
- Reuters ID: LVADY84T03TX6T3Z7C9NS87BULOG
- Story Text: Football's hottest transfer saga has taken another turn
with Real Madrid saying they will never sign England captain
David Beckham.
Real Madrid have tried to quash rumours about a possible
deal to sign England captain David Beckham by issuing
a formal statement denying any interest in buying the
Manchester United player.
"Contrary to the speculation that has surrounded this
matter, Real Madrid have no intention of negotiating a deal to
sign Mr. Beckham," read the statement put out on the club's
website on Tuesday.
"Although the club has a policy of not using official
channels to deny rumours, the present statement has been
issued in order to bring an end to the growing speculation
that, without any basis, has linked Mr. Beckham to Real
Madrid."
The club added there had been no contact between Real and
Manchester United over the player nor with Beckham himself.
The Real statement was backed up by the club's president
Florentino Perez, who met United's chief executive Peter
Kenyon in Brussels on Tuesday at a meeting of the G14 clubs.
Asked about a possible Real Madrid bid for Beckham, Perez
told reporters: "Never . . . never . . . never."
"Nobody at Madrid has ever spoken about Beckham and I
don't want to say anything more myself about this matter
either."
Perez's comments were relayed to Kenyon, who said he was
pleased and relieved to have his own belief in Beckham's
continuing presence at Old Trafford reinforced with such
authority.
Kenyon said: "I'm delighted to know Mr Perez has confirmed
this in such an emphatic manner but, anyway, we at Manchester
United never had any intention of selling him.
"All the speculation about David's future has reached new
heights lately because he's had a phenomenal season but this
had almost been overshadowing everything we've achieved.
"David has stated himself that he doesn't want to go
anywhere but we have always been reluctant to make any public
statements of any sort about the make-up of our team for next
season."
"I'm also assured by David's people that they don't want
him to leave Manchester United. Everyone at Old Trafford will
be grateful to have this confirmed in such a manner by Real
Madrid."
Speculation linking the 27-year-old midfielder with Real
had reached fever pitch following the recent Champions League
quarter-final tie between the two sides, which Real won 6-5 on
aggregate.
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