Newcastle go for Beckham
03.07.2010, 15:55
David Beckham has held talks with Newcastle chairman Freddy Shepherd about a sensational return to English football.
On the day Newcastle discovered they will lose Michael Owen for a year, it emerged that Shepherd met the Beckhams at Claridge's hotel in London.
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Sportsmail's exclusive pictures show Victoria and Shepherd leaving the hotel, where the meeting took place.
Newcastle want Beckham to take over the No 7 shirt once worn by another former England captain, Kevin Keegan, and are willing to put together a £120,000-a-week package to lure him back from Real Madrid. An image rights deal, enabling Beckham to rake in a percentage of shirt sales and club shop memorabilia, would be part of the package.
The 31-year-old midfielder has been told he can stay at Real by new president Ramon Calderon and new coach Fabio Capello, but Newcastle are in need of a high-profile player, especially with the latest bulletin on Owen revealing more bad news.
Newcastle will allow Beckham to live at his 'Beckingham Palace' home in Hertfordshire and commute via helicopter to the northeast, just as his England and former Real team-mate Owen did in the early part of last season.
Simon Oliveira, David Beckham's representative in Spain, today refuted the story claiming "David and Victoria didn't meet with Freddy Shepherd and they haven't discussed a move to Newcastle.
"David dropped Victoria at Claridges to have a meeting with her publishers regarding her new book. It just so happened that Shepherd was also there."
Tellingly however Newcastle refused to deny the reports and Sportsmail continues to believe that the former England captain was in talks with Shepherd about a move to the club.
Newcastle have lost the talismanic figure of Alan Shearer, who retired at the end of last season, while Owen has been sidelined with a cruciate knee ligament injury. Relationships forged with Madrid during last summer's £15million signing of Owen have led Newcastle to believe they can pull off the coup.
The club start the season in the InterToto Cup and, with Glenn Roeder in charge, they need to bring in new faces to inspire their loyal support, who are demanding an improvement on their dismal showing last season.
Newcastle have been linked with West Ham pair Dean Ashton and Marlon Harewood but neither is for sale. They need firepower, but they also need to shift season tickets.